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ATPE leadership led de la Garza to similar realizations. At one
of the first ATPE events he attended, he heard Rep. Jose Menendez
(D–San Antonio) discuss the perception around the Capitol
that educators don’t vote. That presentation “lit the fire,” de la
Garza recalls. “Wait a minute: This teacher votes.” He began to
stand up at every faculty meeting and remind his colleagues that
they, too, needed to make educators’ voices heard at the polls.
“Twenty years ago, I would not have walked into a legislator’s
office and asked anything,” de la Garza says. “But being a member
of ATPE has empowered me and given me the right tools to approach
lawmakers and ask about their views and what they stand
for. I know that I can pick up the phone or knock on legislators’
doors and they will listen—but not if we don’t approach them.”
ATPE is an avenue for educators to actively participate in
community, state and national affairs involving public education,
something Kilday says more educators need to recognize is a
professional obligation.
“Many educators feel like their jobs are only in the classrooms
or hallways of our school, when in fact our job extends out into the
community,” she says. “As educators, we need to remember that
we are more knowledgeable [about schools] than those who are
charged with making the rules by which we must abide. For this
reason, we must be the positive voice of public education.”
As president, de la Garza is looking forward to serving as chair
of the first ATPE HOD to meet at the all-new ATPE Summit—
as well as continuing ATPE’s proud tradition of conducting its
business with dignity. “We can agree to disagree, but we do it very
professionally,” he says.
De la Garza strongly encourages veteran ATPE leaders to bring
first-timers to Leader U 2010, ATPE’s Political Involvement Training
and Lobby Day in February 2011, and the summit in July
2011. As his personal ATPE experience proves, event attendance
is a powerful trigger for leadership success.
Case closed. A
In her role as committee chairwoman, ATPE State Past President Connie Kilday
presents the 2010-11 Resolutions Committee report to the HOD March 27.
Committee service is an excellent stepping stone for region and state leadership.
ATPE State Past President Jerry Bonham and State President David de la Garza were
both inspired to pursue state leadership roles because of their positive experiences in
the House of Delegates.
The ATPE House of Delegates will hold its 31st meeting during the ATPE Summit,
July 20–23, 2011, at the Austin Convention Center.
2010-11 ATPE State President David de la Garza accepts the gavel from 2009-10 ATPE
State President Sam Spurlock during the 30th Annual ATPE State Convention.