I write this article to share with you one of the aspects of SCTA membership that has been personally meaningful to me.  As someone who is gay-identified and involved in activism and social change work, my involvement with the CTA Peace & Justice Caucus and the CTA Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (GLBT) Caucus, has allowed me to really feel connected and valued within CTA.  I therefore would like to take a moment to inform SCTA members about the opportunity to get involved with CTA caucuses as a student member.

 

Caucuses advocate on behalf of those whose views would otherwise be marginalized simply by doing things by majority vote.  They also serve as a defined space for those individuals on the margins to come together and discuss and formulate views, ideas, opinions, and narratives which may differ in significant ways from the official CTA policies, ideas, opinions, and narratives.

 

As an SCTA member, you are part of the larger California Teachers Association (CTA), a professional organization for teachers in California.  What this means, particularly for those who belong to an identity that differs from the standard norms in some way (race, gender, sexual orientation, political views, professional goals), is that you have the option of joining one or more caucuses, which are groups of CTA members that are organized around a common interest.  Caucuses are formed by groups of CTA members, and are not limited to teachers. Student members are also welcome.

 

In joining together around a common cause, CTA members have the ability to shape and influence the direction of CTA policy on their particular issues, and to educate members about the issues affecting a particular group of people.  Caucuses contribute to representation of minority views, a more inclusive democratic process and better decision making for the organization.

 

Many of the caucuses have low membership fees (they can be as low as $5) for student members, and actively welcome student participation in a variety of forms.  It has been my experience, too, that they will often go out of their way to connect students if you're interested in learning more and getting involved.  If you'd like to learn more about a caucus, contact the appropriate person from the caucus; you can also contact me and I'd be happy to share more about my experience and provide whatever guidance I can in connecting, as the initial contact can be scary. However, in my personal experience the rewards of working with a caucus have proved to be worthwhile.

For more information about the caucuses listed, please contact James Sheldon, jsheldon@ucsc.edu or contact the SCTA Office, 650/552-5345.