From Passion to Action: My Role in Texas Education Advocacy. A Personal Account of Running for School Board Elections

Aug 7

In June 2023, Jacqueline Martinez, M.Ed campaigned for the position of EPISD Trustee for District 6. She is a Texas Teacher, Education Advocate, boasting a substantial following of over 51k on TikTok. We were deeply impressed with her journey towards advocacy and proudly endorsed her for the position. School board elections hold immense significance as they directly impact the quality of education and the overall learning environment for students in a community. Consequently, we extended an invitation to Jacqueline to share her inspiring experience of transitioning from a teacher to becoming La Texas Edvocate.

Written by Jacqueline Martinez, M.Ed

Long before I decided to run for school board, I served as an education advocate and a 13-year veteran teacher. During my early years as an educator, I struggled to articulate the frustrations I was experiencing in my profession. It wasn’t until I participated in an Education Policy fellowship in 2013 that I gained advocacy tools and experience I needed to start my advocacy journey. This led me to speak at numerous school board meetings, meet with state legislators, and became a Teacher Voice columnist for The Dallas Morning News. Little did I know that these experiences were laying the foundation for the advocate I needed to be for the challenges laid ahead (*Sidenote: If it were up to me, building advocacy skills would be part of every quality teacher preparation program and state certification, but I’m pretty sure this is not an oversight- it’s by design).

Fast forward a few years, and COVID happened, putting the entire globe in a chokehold. It exposed and worsened issues that already existed in the education system long before the pandemic. Teachers were expected to solve problems without properly equipped classrooms, limited resources, and dismal pay. For a brief period, we were relieved of scapegoat duties and hailed as heroes. But soon, it was time to “get back to normal” and teachers once again found themselves portrayed- as villains.

The strong opposition to safety measures and the loss of a work colleague to COVID weighed heavily on my heart, but it also fueled my determination to take action. I began giving regular public testimony at school board meetings and started a social media account to empower parents and teachers to do the same. Surprisingly, my message resonated with so many people and gained a significant following. I aimed to normalize teacher advocacy, considering that most state policymakers and district leaders impact our profession and our students have zero background in education or classroom experience.

This is why I chose to run for school board. Despite having no experience or knowledge in running for office or managing a campaign, I was determined. The help and support from the communities I connected with via social media and local El Pasoans who believed in me were humbling. I’m proud that I ran a clean campaign without any mudslinging because I didn’t need it. I am 1,000% confident in what I bring to the table. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always result in a victory. I fell short by just 69 votes. Although I didn’t secure a seat at the decision-making table, not for a single second has my voice been silenced, nor has my power been taken away.

Follow Up Questions:

Q. What surprised you the most about running? I was taken aback when my opponent in the runoff used a non-education issue against me. What surprised me, even more, was that some people found it problematic that I based my decision to support Prop K on my students and their future, which is at risk if swift action on climate change is not taken. It’s literally doing what’s “best for children”- an overused phrase that gets discarded the moment false claims arise about increased taxes or inconvenience.

Q. What was most taxing? Rewarding?

Blockwalking was both the most taxing and rewarding! It was hot outside and although I’m big on SPF, I do not like being in the sun. BUT, I absolutely fell in love with community engagement. I met so many fantastic people who supported me and genuinely loved geeking out over education issues.

Q. How will you continue to stay engaged in local politics?

I was an advocate with a social media presence long before ever deciding to run for school board. I am committed to continue engaging teachers and parents across the state on social media, just as I did before the election. I will continue to keep them informed on local and state education issues and encourage/empower them to stay civically engaged.

You can stay updated with Jaqueline on social media through the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/LaTexasEdvocate

https://www.instagram.com/la_texas_edvocate/

Tiktok: @LaTexas_edvocate

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