What is A-TIGER?
ACEA does not directly donate funds to political campaigns. However, there are many political issues that impact public education. It’s important for those ACEA members who want to participate in the political process to have an avenue for doing so. Therefore, a Political Action Committee was formed called Alachua Totally Involved in Government and Education Reform (A-Tiger). Since no regular union dues are given to political campaigns, A-Tiger serves a vital service in promoting political candidates and issues that directly impact our public schools.
How does A-Tiger decide who to support?
We are a non-partisan organization. Members of A-Tiger screen candidates before elections to determine which ones are education friendly. A-Tiger members meet the candidates, ask them questions about their positions on various education issues and then decide whether or not to offer endorsements.
How do I join?
If you would like to join A-Tiger, you can call the ACEA office at 377-7635 and we’ll mail you an application, that you can fill out and return through truck mail. You can also stop by the ACEA office to complete an application. A-Tiger dues begin at 50¢ per check and are directly deducted from your paycheck.
Can I discuss A-Tiger at work?
The Florida Election Code includes provisions specifically applicable to public employees. Most of these provisions prohibit a public employee from coercing or attempting to influence another public employee on election related matters during work hours. In addition, our contract with the school board allows us to use school mailboxes for the distribution of ACEA materials, but not for the purpose of public political campaigning. The best course of action is to leave A-Tiger business to non-working hours.
How do I volunteer with A-Tiger?
A-Tiger needs you. We are always in need of volunteers who can make phone calls, hold signs, drive other people to the polls on election day, make trips to Tallahassee, and so on. If you would like to volunteer, please call the A-Tiger President, Kim Cook, at the ACEA office and let her know.
When does A-Tiger meet?
For the 2020-2021 academic year, A-Tiger meets via Zoom on the first Wednesday of the month at 5pm. All A-Tiger members are welcome to attend.