Power beyond the classroom
by Angel Boose
The Educational Support Professional Advocacy Network (ESPAN) is an NJEA affinity group composed of educational support professionals (ESPs) and their allies. New Jersey public schools are ranked first in the nation and thrive because of all educators, including ESPs. These educators cultivate and meet the needs of the whole student, promoting quality education and fostering positive learning environments in the roles of custodian, maintenance service, food service, secretary, health and student services staff, paraprofessional, security service, skilled trade, technician, transportation, and more.
Through ESPAN, ESPs are demonstrating their power beyond the classroom. Too often, they feel overlooked despite the vital work that they do. They know the best way to advocate for their students and to garner support for the work they do is to be a part of the democratic process both in the public and association spheres. ESPAN aims to ensure elected officials, association leadership and all NJEA members understand the intricacies and importance of their duties.
How ESPAN began
ESPAN evolved out of the South Jersey Anti-Privatization Coalition, which organized almost 10 years ago as a group called South Jersey United. As a part of the group, members went to school board meetings to speak on behalf of ESPs who were in jeopardy of losing their jobs.
“Advocating on behalf of those members propelled us to want equity for all educational support professionals,” said ESPAN Captain Temika Langston-Myers of Cumberland County. Langston-Meyers is also an NEA Director. Members spoke out against PARCC testing and the ramifications of its unfunded mandate, which for ESPs meant privatization.
“A call to action was made by the members of South Jersey United and soon members across the state began to support our colleagues, speak on their behalf and attend board meetings,” said Middlesex County Education Association President Lois Yukna, who is also an ESPAN captain. “ESPAN was formed to engage members across the state and protect their careers.”
ESPAN Captain KelleyAnn Morris from Camden County notes how successful ESPAN has been in protecting members’ jobs.
“Over the course of several years, ESPAN fought 33 attempts at privatization, and won every single one,” Morris said.
Empowering and engaging ESPs
ESPAN aims to empower ESPs to get more involved in the work of NJEA, as it is not just a “teacher union” but a union for educators in all roles.
“ESPAN has provided valuable lessons on using networking and sharing leadership roles. It has given me a voice to address concerns with other leaders and my own members,” said Amy Tighe, an ESPAN captain from Salem County. “I don’t believe I would have been so vocal about issues if I had not done it with ESPAN.” Tighe is also the president of the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School Employees Association.
Langston-Myers believes experiences like Tighe’s are ESPAN’s goal, and she hopes the gifts and talents of ESPs will shine as they become more engaged with the union. Those shared gifts and talents will make NJEA a more diverse and even stronger statewide leader.
“ESPAN is a passion for me. I love the work we do,” said Morris. “I especially enjoy watching ESPs when they realize they do have a voice in our union and the power is within themselves to effect change and move the union forward.”
Taking action
ESPAN’s mission is to unite, organize, promote and advance ESPs so that with their union they will uphold their rights, protect their benefits and elevate their careers. ESPAN members are accomplishing this mission through three main goals they set last summer.
“I am currently working on goal number two,” Langston-Myers shared. “This goal is to promote the full inclusion of all ESPs and educate members in the local, county, state and national organizational structures and provide opportunities for growth.”
Organizing to elect pro-education candidates is a top priority for NJEA, and ESPAN captains and members make a concerted effort to make their presence known in the legislative and political arenas. Leading up to the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections, for example, ESPAN was an integral part of campaigning for the reelection of Tom Malinowski to New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. Although Malinowski did not win, ESPAN attended legislative gatherings and hosted multiple phone banking events collectively making over 1,200 phone calls to get out the vote.
“Everything we do in schools is governed by the Legislature—every aspect of public education,” said Chrissy Kosar, Gloucester County Education Association president and an ESP captain. “People see NJEA and think ‘teacher.’ It is extremely important for support staff to get involved so politicians and others know all the layers of education.”
Morris agrees. “I want educational support professionals to know that their local, county, state and national associations also serve them,” said Morris.
In an effort to increase the engagement of ESPs at all levels of the association, members are encouraged to attend workshops, conferences and trainings. They are also encouraged to seek appointments to committees, become association representatives, run to become delegates to the annual NEA Representative Assembly, and run for elected office at any level of the association.
“I have helped empower many ESPs and built their confidence by showing them what I, as well as ESPAN, have done,” Tighe said. “I have shared tips and strategies on how to run for positions, and not just within their locals. ESPs need to know they have just as many opportunities as teachers and that they matter to NJEA.”
Expanding ESP influence in NJEA
Among ESPAN’s long-term goals is to see more staff at NJEA come from among the ranks of ESP members. Nearly one out of every four NJEA members is an ESP. To more effectively advocate for them, it will be valuable to have more NJEA staff who understand from personal experience the work ESPs do.
“To grow momentum as an association, we need the support of the ESPs,” said Kosar. “It is difficult to be a leader as an ESP in a local—there is classism centered on the ESP name. ESPs include people of color, the LGBTQ+ community and more. If you are an ESP and a member of another minority group, you have double the battle.”
“Teachers and ESPs can and should work together for the betterment of our union,” said Morris, who is a teacher but a fervent advocate for ESPs. “As a teacher, I work to show ESPs that the institutionalized barriers can be removed—that there shouldn’t be ‘ours’ and ‘theirs’—and that the classification divide shouldn’t stop them.”
ESPAN has been making its presence known across the state. It has dedicated itself to being visible at events, setting up a table, disseminating information and ESPAN ‘swag,’ and engaging members in one-on-one conversations to build support for their cause. Their cadre of captains from across the state are dedicated to promoting the mission of ESPAN.
How to get involved
Every county has at least one ESPAN captain. ESPs can contact their county president, who can connect them with their county captain.
For more information, visit njea.org/espan, email nj.espan@gmail.com, or visit the Facebook page “Educational Support Professional Advocacy Network.” Look for the yellow, black, and white logo.
Any NJEA member, regardless of membership category, can join ESPAN.
“If you join the Facebook page, you can get a free ESPAN T-shirt, which can be picked up at any NJEA event,” Kosar said. “There is a lot of information available through the network on how to make your union work for you.”
If you are interested in supporting its work, contact ESPAN today.
Angel Boose is a third-grade teacher at the Benjamin Banneker Academy in the East Orange School District. She is the vice president of the East Orange Education Association and an NJEA Communications Consultant. Boose represents Essex County on the NJEA Women in Education Committee.