These are critical times for all public-sector unions in light of the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court. Perhaps nowhere is occupational mission and the importance of union membership more intertwined than among public school educators.

We entered this profession because we are dedicated to pursuing educational excellence for the diverse students in our public schools. But with public education under attack, we cannot focus simply on providing compelling learning experiences for our students. Understanding what our students need to succeed is the first step. But then we must exercise our professional voice so we can advocate for them and position them for greater success. It’s why our union is so essential.

Our collective-bargaining agreement establishes important rules on lesson plans, class assignments, prep periods, class size, safety and more. It also provides vehicles for us to raise our voices to advocate for our students so our schools are safe, vibrant, engaging environments that encourage them to thrive.

Educators at the Celia Cruz Bronx HS of Music in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx, a stone’s throw from Lehman College, embrace their role as advocates for their students.

Brian Boggan, the chapter leader and a physical education teacher, credited the union and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration for dedicating time in the work day for professional development and creating new career pathways for teachers in the 2014 contract. The school has one master teacher and three model teachers who play a big role in designing the school’s professional learning. “I think this is the best thing the union and de Blasio have done — it’s teachers helping teachers.” In the past, Boggan said, professional development too often consisted of administrators drilling down a laundry list of “dos and don’ts.” The members much prefer professional development developed and implemented by fellow teachers. “We know our own challenges,” he said.

Our union provides regular training and support for chapter leaders to help them make improvements at the school level and better serve their students. I was pleased to hear Boggan’s praise for the union’s session on integrated co-teaching classes for chapter leaders at our Bronx borough office. “The ICT training was huge,” he told me. “The main thing is we know our rights.” That knowledge makes us effective student advocates.

Celia Cruz educators infuse the arts with the academics for the school’s predominantly Latino and black students aspiring to careers in the performing arts. Math teacher Eric Dinowitz explained that students come to the school with differing academic skills, but all have talent and a love for the arts so he weaves math principles into music. He believes the success his students experience in their art helps build their confidence and self-esteem so they can better face their struggles with math.

Music teacher Deborah Lopez champions academic excellence in her classroom by structuring her lessons to incorporate in-depth discussions about how the work habits and skills her students develop as performers apply to their academic coursework. She notes that just as musicians, however gifted, must be willing to put in long hours of practice, students must be prepared to work hard in their academic subjects if they want to be successful.

We work to ensure every UFT member looks forward to going to work in a supportive and collaborative environment. That’s why I was energized to hear math teacher Jules Yao discuss with pride how on Tuesday and Thursday the math department collaborates on professional learning. Likewise, I was thrilled to hear Moira Murphy describe an English department that works so seamlessly that once the students are promoted to her class, “I know they have it.”

We believe each and every one of New York City’s high schools should be a positive, collaborative and effective institution of learning. We serve students whose abilities are often challenged by hardships, but whose gifts can transcend their circumstances when their teachers are free to agitate and move the system to act on their behalf. We are a unified, organized, knowledgeable and courageous community of educators who recommend and work toward solutions to the complex issues facing our high schools. We couldn’t accomplish what we do without our union.