Austin, Texas hosted SW TURN April 6-7, 2018, offering an engaging, inspiring visit to Lanier High School, a community school in Austin. It was impressive to see high school students focused on well-crafted CTE programs, working with real steel and live animals.
The Lanier HS Principal shared the importance of using the school’s instructional program as a tool to break down institutional racism. The personification of relationships and relevance in education was evident throughout the schools.
The timing of this meeting was opportune. By coincidence the SW TURN meeting took place right in the middle of the “Red for Ed†teacher protests throughout the southeastern states. Louis Malfaro, Texas AFT and Richard Khouri, Texas State Teachers Association facilitated an engaging conversation about these state struggles in each state and the impact of these courageous educators to all those in the union movement as well as those in the poorly funded southwestern states in the United States.
Ken Zarfs, President, Education Austin shared their association’s inspiring “Respect Now!†campaign which encourages respect for educators. Dale Decesare and Jack Hill of APA Consulting, who provide facilitative and program support, will be working with SW TURN leaders as they design their September 21- 22, 2018 meeting in Denver.