Kimberly Colbert, Minnesota

In St. Paul, the union leads constructive change

Kimberly Colbert, an English teacher at Central High School in St. Paul, Minn., and a member of the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers, says it's not hard to see how a collective voice for educators plays a positive role at her school, working to the benefit of staff and students alike.

Teachers have looked to the union as a vehicle for constructive change when problems need to be addressed. Recently, for example, the school shifted to a seven-period day, and there were growth pains and unintended consequences because of the change. The union-negotiated contract has been indispensable for helping educators address overcrowded classrooms and other problems related to the shift.

"I love my students, and I want them to have everything they need to get a high-quality public education," Colbert says. "When educators come together, we can speak with the district about class size, about adequate staffing, about the need for counselors, nurses, media specialists and librarians in schools. And we can advocate for better practices that serve our kids. With that collective voice, we can have conversations with the district that we probably wouldn't be able to have otherwise―and do it while engaging our communities, our parents and our students."

This collective voice is also a vehicle for "social justice advocacy," she says. It has enabled Central High educators to stand behind promising strategies, such as restorative practices, to help curb suspension policies that prompt students to leave school before graduating.