Episode 22: Teachers UNITE! A Conversation About a Safe and Equitable Reopening of Schools With Members of National Educators United

On today's episode I speak to Rebecca Garelli ( Arizona NEU), Carla Okouchi( Virginia NEU), Katie Erlich (Washington State NEU) and Harley Litzelman ( Oakland CA NEU) to discuss the National Educators United movement.National Educators United is part of a national collective of students, parents, educators, and community members  demanding a Safe and Scientific, Racially Just and Fully funded reopening of schools!"We are done waiting for presidents, secretaries of education, governors, state boards, and superintendents. WE are the ones who will create the PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS DESERVE. NEU is building a national movement to enact the three pillars that comprise NEU’s nationwide demands for:

1. Racial Equity and Social Justice

2. Fully Funded Public Education Through Progressive Taxation

3. Pro-Public Education and Anti-Privatization"

To learn more about the mission, vision, and national demands, please visit nationaleducatorsunited.org, and follow us on Facebook (National Educators United), Twitter (@NEUSolidarity), and Instagram (neusolidarity)

 

Harley Litzelman is a social science teacher and site representative at Skyline High School in Oakland, CA. He is the author of “We Cannot Return to Campus this Fall, “Teachers: Refuse to Return,” and the petition to refuse to return to campus until counties report no new cases of COVID-19 for at least 14 days, which has accumulated more than 60,000 signatures. 

 

Rebecca Garelli has been a professional middle school science and math educator for 16 years. She started here career in Chicago and was an active member of the Chicago Teachers Union(CTI) for 11 years. Upon moving to Arizona in 2017, she co-founded the grassroots educator group Arizona Educators United (AEU) in March of 2018 and continues to serve as a Lead Organizer. Rebecca also organizes National Educators United (NEU), and is focused on coordinating national actions and hosting national Town Halls regarding a safe return to school, equitable distance learning, fighting austerity, and building statewide educators groups

 

Katie Ehrlich is a Special Education teacher who has taught Resource Room in elementary and middle school and Life Skills in early elementary in Everett, Washington.

 

Carla Okouchi is a 22 year veteran music educator in Fairfax County Public Schools. She serves as a mentor to high school and college aspiring educators and those entering the profession. Throughout her career she has been a long standing NEA/VEA Union member and organizer with grassroots coalitions. Currently she is a lead organizer with National Educators United, Virginia Educators United, and Vice President of the Fairfax Education Association.