Samantha Burdick
Expect the Unexpected
Little did I know as a teenager that the Survivor tag line “expect the unexpected,” would become my mantra for 2025.
The first part of this year has been filled with many unexpected challenges—the least of which was the flat tire I encountered on my way home after a long flight from Denver in February. After attending a two-day training with my communications colleagues from other state affiliates, I arrived in Portland very late on a Wednesday night. Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any longer, one of those famous Maine potholes jumped out of nowhere, and I blew my front tire—causing an unexpected delay. The thing about unexpected challenges—whether it’s a flat tire or something more significant—is that they often come with a great deal of anxiety.
Perhaps you can relate.
Since the new administration took office in Washington, many challenges have arisen, bringing with them a lot of uncertainties—and many questions. Will the Department of Education remain intact? Will Maine continue to receive the federal funding that our rural school districts rely on? How will we protect our most vulnerable students? These questions weigh heavily on our minds.
I don’t have the answers for all these questions, but what I do know is that the opposite of divided is united. When we come together united with a unified voice, our voice is amplified and impossible to ignore.
Just as my flat tire at 1 AM created an opportunity to address some overdue vehicle maintenance, the unexpected challenges we might see unfold in the coming months or years are perfect opportunities to find common ground among ourselves as educators, union members, and a community. These challenges offer us a unique chance to unify, raise our collective voices, tell our stories, and show the world why public education is fundamentally valuable.
It might feel like your tank is empty, or you have “crashed out,” as the kids say. But when we come together as one voice, we have power. Find a way to get involved in your local association, encourage an educator who isn’t a union member to join, visit MEA’s Advocacy Center webpage to learn how to raise your voice at the State House, or explore NEA’s Protect Public Schools page to find ways to take action and protect our public schools.
We might not always be able to anticipate the unexpected, but through our collective action, we have the power to amplify our voices and stand up for our students, schools, and communities. It’s in these moments that we must rely on our resilience and the support of those around us—your colleagues, your community, and your union.
