Sara Rodland, Buffalo Teachers Federation
Sara Rodland has been a labor champion since 1976, and colleagues praise her selflessness and her ability to connect with people.
Rodland started in Buffalo Public Schools in 1971 as an elementary teacher who delighted in watching children’s minds at work. The Buffalo Teachers Federation strike in 1976 galvanized her union involvement and, over the years, she served her local in various capacities, including building delegate chairperson, Political Action Committee member and co-chair of the public relations committee. She was eventually elected secretary for the BTF. “There was always something going on that needed to be addressed, and we needed to stand up and fight for what was right,” Rodland said.
Rodland was also an NEA NY board member and delegate, NYSUT Board member and delegate, and NEA, AFT and NYSTRS delegate.
Mentorship and professional development have always been important to Rodland and, during her teaching career, she mentored all the new elementary teachers in her district. She was an active member of the policy board for the Buffalo Teacher Resource Center and went on to be named co-director of the center.
Rodland reluctantly retired from teaching in 2010, only to be almost immediately elected vice president of the still-nascent Retiree Council 44. With her organizational skills and indefatigable energy, she helped build the new retiree organization into a vital part of NYSUT’s daytime army. Rodland was elected president of RC 44 in 2017 and continues to serve in that capacity.
Rodland volunteers as the school liaison for The Teacher’s Desk, a non-profit organization that annually distributes more than $8.5 million worth of classroom supplies for students in need.