My Turn
Baltimore County Paraeducator Devon Chapman
I’m not a traditional person in education. What motivated me to get into this profession was my 2nd grade teacher, Christa McIntyre. I remember her recalling how I greeted her in the hallway and how she took the time to get to know the 7-year-old me. When I see her now, I’m reminded that if it hadn’t been for her patience, I probably would not be an educator today.
I wanted to be involved in my union— the Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County (ESPBC)—because I knew that’s how you fight for respect and fairness. I wanted to introduce myself, my union, and my experience to others and be an advocate and leader for those afraid to speak up for themselves. I first served as my school union building representative.
Today, I’m a member of the board of directors. As a director, my goal is to help members understand the value of their union, their contract, and to be prepared to fight for their rights as employees.
I was introduced to MSEA’s ESP Bill of Rights in 2023. The Bill of Rights lists and defines the items we are continuously fighting for—but the ones that strike me the most are higher wages, saying no to privatization, and healthcare. I’ve been without insurance for a brief period and I know how important it is to have it. I didn’t realize these were also hot topics for many peers and colleagues. As I continued going to union meetings and being in different spaces, I heard the same thing over and over—some folks work only for healthcare; some work because they can’t afford to live off their retirement. In these important conversations, I remember Ms. McIntyre getting to know a young 7-year-old and how best to serve him. Like her, I need to understand our members’ needs so our union can serve them best.
ESPBC sent me to trainings to learn how to organize, how to be a leader in a diverse community, and how to understand and negotiate our contract. The teacher shortage is a problem and when those numbers were off the chart, my union secured a memorandum of understanding that paid support personnel for substituting. ESPBC continues to fight for support personnel to be paid for substituting.
If I could say anything to a non-member, it would be: “Do you value your job? Yes? Let’s stand together!”