The assignment required that I attend the entire conference so I could describe themes that threaded through the speakers' topics. I have never been so frightened before an audience - but not because of stage fright. But they have little knowledge of how public schools operate. Unfortunately, teachers don't tell their stories to state legislatures. Our job is to teach.
Every citizen has the right to inform.
Informing is not lobbying. Our state legislators have a critical impact on the kinds of policy that direct how we use technology in schools. They influence mandates that involve computer literacy, teacher certification, grants, statewide networks, and more. There are many issues facing our legislatures that do not appear to be technology related but could have an enormous impact by the time the legal process finishes its cycle. The most far-reaching issue has to do with how state policy prescribes funding for public education.