A central part of organizing includes educating other people about the issue you want to address and convincing them to take action alongside you to address the issue. Sometimes even the people being affected by the issue need to be educated and convinced. Perhaps they believe that they are the only ones being affected by this issue, or maybe they believe that “it’s just the way things are” and that change isn’t possible or likely to happen. This is where the power of stories—and data—can make an impact.
Often, we are not alone in the struggles that we face, but we feel scared or we feel defeated, and we don’t take action. As you talk to others about the problem that you want to see change, think about your personal connection to this issue. How has it affected you? Why do you think it’s important to change? How would you and others benefit from lasting change?
Take it a step further!
Consider the following questions with the example below.
- What does the data show about the problem you are trying to address?
- Is there an interesting and clear way to share the data so that people understand the problem?
- How does your story fit into the picture that the data illustrate?
- Are there other people who are willing to tell their stories and explain how they have been impacted by the problem?
- How many people are affected by this issue in your school? In your city? In your state? In this country?
- Is there research that shows the long-term consequences of the problem you are trying to address and why it’s important to fix it?
- Who else should you talk to for help solving the problem?
For help answering these questions, check out www.texasdisciplinelab.org!
Example
You attend a school that has a severe shortage of mental health resources. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recommends a school's student-to-counselor ratio be 250:1, but your school's one counselor serves over 1,200 students. Despite raising concerns with your counselor about this issue, no changes you have seen none. One day, you went to the school counselor for help with a mental health issue, but were referred to an outside clinic with a long waiting list. You did not get the help that you needed, and your issue worsened making it hard to attend or focus in class. Your teachers, unaware of your struggles, labeled you a “problem student.” Eventually, a classroom outburst one day caused you to be written up and later suspended.
After doing research, you learn that a lack of mental health counselors in schools is a systemic problem. Nearly 98% Texas students attend schools that don't meet TEA mental health standards, and 55% of schools nationwide feel unequipped to address student mental health needs. Studies also show that even one suspension significantly increases the likelihood of a student having future interaction with the justice system, dropping out, and being funneled into the school-to-prison pipeline. To address this, you realize collaboration with school administrators, teachers, policy makers, and even other parents is essential to ensure all students have access to adequate mental health resources.