Voice at the table
A representative for teachers
State Rep. Brian Evans represents District 43, which includes the city of Cabot, as well as portions of Lonoke County. For the 93rd General Assembly, Rep. Evans serves as vice chairperson of the House of Education Committee, among other things.
My first encounter with Representative Evans was in the fall of 2021, when he had sought out educators to check the pulse of our concerns, social emotional struggles students are experiencing as a result of the pandemic, and to get feedback about virtual learning.
It should be noted that he didn’t have a single constituent in that educational think tank; he truly wanted to be informed, with nothing to gain. His genuine interest and concern for students and educators resonated with me.
One year later it was “Take Your Legislator to School Month.” HCR1008 of 2015 encourages public school districts to plan special events with their local legislators, such as allowing them to visit classrooms, read to students or give guest lectures, and/or hold school-sponsored panel discussions in which administrators, teachers, and students discuss issues facing their school.
Note, I am still not a constituent, but I have a vested interest as an educator in District 43. I invited Representative Evans to tour Stagecoach Elementary school, meet our students, and our staff, which he accepted immediately.
He was admittedly nervous, sharing that he typically visited junior high and high schools, but you would have never known that seeing him with 5- to 9-year-olds. He exuded joy, had the same genuine interest in the kids that I had experienced, and he captivated our third-graders with a read-aloud about “When I Grow Up.” per his request, to have an entry point for conversation about his ambition, from an early age, to serve his community.
I’ve spent the last several years of my career encouraging teachers to seek out opportunities to make their voices heard, but my initial encounter with Representative Evans was the first time a policymaker had sought me out.
When it comes to education policy, practicing educators should have a voice at the table, sharing their experience and expertise; with Representative Evans, I truly believe we will have that.
Crystal Carranco is an assistant principal at Stagecoach Elementary in Cabot and previously taught first grade for 10 years for Beebe Public School District. She is passionate about working alongside and supporting teachers, reading acquisition, and serving our most at-risk student populations. Crystal is a 2022 ASTA and AAEF advocacy fellow.