NOTE: As public workers in several states fight back against assaults on collective bargaining and public education, the focus is often on teachers and their advocacy. But thousands of Education Support Professionals, such as teaching assistants, bus drivers and custodians, have taken to the streets as well to protect their rights and the rights of their students.
One of those ESPs is Stephanie Hopkins, a paraprofessional who is standing at a busy intersection in Caldwell, ID literally every day to drum up support for public education and collective bargaining rights. You can get the full story at Education Votes, but we wanted to share a quote from Hopkins on how she and her colleagues feel as their collective bargaining rights are being attacked:
“I love the work, and the support staff and teachers in my school are a great team. Our union is committed to student success. We want everyone to succeed, to be winners in learning. But when [State Superintendent Tom] Luna’s proposals become law, we get our hands tied behind our back – and it’s mighty hard to work successfully in that position.”