government relations
work, a rally, whatever you are interested in and comfortable with. If you are politi- cally minded to do so, get involved with recall efforts. Attend rallies in your area. Make your voice heard.
Contact your legislators. Contacting your representation in Madison has really never been easier. You can email, phone or mail correspondence to state legisla- tors voicing approval or disapproval for decisions that are being made. If you do not know who your state legislators are, you can find out by going to http://legis.
wisconsin.gov/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx. Contact the people that are speaking for you and making decisions on your behalf. Let them know how you think they are doing.
Know “the powers that be” in your district. Know who your school board members are and actively invite them to
your concerts. Always be an advocate for your program by sharing your students’ successes with your districts’ administra- tion, parents and board of education. Look for positive ways to stay in the minds of the powers-that-be in your district. Some- times, as educators, we incorrectly assume that our administration or school board members know what we are doing in our classrooms and on our stages. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn, as they say, and be a strong leader and advocate for your curriculum and classroom.
Know when to take a break. This last thought is a very important one. Everyone has their own personal threshold for how much political activity they can take, and it can be very overwhelming if a person doesn’t know when to take a break from it all. Whether you have been politically minded your entire life or are just now starting to become interested because of all
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that has happened, you must know when to turn off the computer, switch off the TV and step away for a bit. Being involved can be exhilarating, but it can also be draining. Remember, you will be no good to anyone if you are exhausted and burned out.
Whether politics are something that you have been involved with for many years, or your interest has been piqued because of the decisions that have been made in Madison over the past several months, I strongly encourage you to get involved in some way. The time of being passive and watching to see what happens (or not car- ing either way!) has passed. It is time to be proactive and advocate for ourselves, our students and music in our schools!
Julie Brown teaches instrumental music in the Appleton Area School District. Email:
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