Teaching Workers Rights in the ESOL Classroom

In mid-May, Highline College adjunct faculty member Kristyn Joy introduced 35 teachers of immigrant workers to the 10-week workers’ rights curriculum she developed for use in English as Second or Other Language classes.   The ESOL curriculum, sponsored by the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, wraps around the SeaTac Fight for $15, our workers rights' manual, and contract enforcement by local union activists.

The Labor Center sponsored 30+ faculty from around the state to attend the workshop, explore the teaching material, and begin a conversation about how to help immigrant workers know and exercise workplace rights.  The group included teachers from nonprofits One America and Literacy Source, and from the Seattle Education Association. We were proud to support the frontline educators working directly with immigrant workers in our schools, colleges, apprenticeship programs and community centers.