Hardly missing a beat, Utah teachers are taking lesson plans from the 2000 Legislature and using them in November's elections.
"Never grow weary of doing what's right," Phyllis Sorensen, president Utah Education Association, told members.Leaders of the teacher's union sold "Utah Students Deserve More Phase 2" to members Saturday at a meeting at Skyline High School.
Phase 2 will incorporate successful lobbying tactics from last year's Utah Students Deserve More campaign with new ideas to influence the public to vote for education-friendly candidates. They also hope their strong presence in the media and on Capitol Hill will influence state representatives to adopt pro-education platforms.
Their goals are the same: smaller class sizes, more money for supplies and textbooks, higher salaries.
Sorensen said Phase 2 will continue polling, focus groups, billboard messages and teacher speaking engagements -- tactics UEA believes gave education a boost in the 2000 Legislature.
However, no new tactics were mentioned Saturday. Sorensen said Phase 2's new tactics are still in the "developmental stages."
She added they will use "whatever it is that will involve membership and outreach to the community."
Until November, the UEA will focus on different tactics, like its membership drive, leadership training, its influence on the legislative task forces on education funding and standards and accountability.
"It's just a continuation of the program," Sorensen said. "We're not going away. We have a long-term plan, and we're determined to solve the funding problems. No matter how long it takes."
UEA members also elected delegates for the union on Saturday.
Also, members were asked to complete a survey with an array of questions, from whether they would take time to help a candidate "who supports increased, long-term funding for public schools," to grading on a scale of 1 to 4 which funding issues are most important -- teacher salaries, employee benefits, professional development and programs for students like class size reduction and recruitment of education specialists.
"We're going to keep going and going and going," Sorensen said. "This organization is going to be known as the 'Energizer' of public education."
You can reach Laura Hancock by e-mail at lhandcock@desnews.com