No confidence in NCLB

We just took a position of "no confidence" in the No Child Left Behind Act. WEA will publicize this through the media.

Legislator Learner for a Day!

WEA will create an on-going program to regularly and cordially invite each state representative to attend a minimum of one entire school day in our schools. The WEA will also make known a list of who do and who do not accept this invitation. So the question is, members: would you be willing to show our lawmakers what it is really like to do our job?

Photo's from the Floor at RA

Still going...

If you are reading this, please send coffee.

The delegates have authorized a state-wide day of action.

After much debate and an amendment, WEA has been given the charge that in the case of an across-the-board pay cut and/or regressive changes to the any educator's salary schedule, it will organize a state-wide day of action within the locals to educate and protest. Originally, this NBI called for a specific date of September 21, 2011 for a day long strike. The arguments against this specific date included being too soon to properly organize such an event and taking away control from the local organizations to decide what form of action they would like to take. Stephen Miller, Sammamish Council UniServ President, provided the amendment that place the control back into the hands of the locals.

We're Not Wisconsin

We're not Wisconsin, but we're one vote away from becoming Wisconsin.

This was the message from this morning's WEA PAC meeting. Every other year, when the election cycle comes around, WEA PAC spends even more money supporting issues and candidates. There is a call for WEA PAC members to get new members; not just for the $27 annual dues, but to get members active and involved.

Mary Bell, Wisconsin's union president, spoke to the group using video conferencing. Her inspirational words and practical and pragmatic ideas for spreading the word to the community. Frank Chopp, Speaker of the Washington House of Representatives then spoke on particular issues and candidates that would best support educational causes. It is nice to know we have such a strong supporter in a position of great influence.

If you have not yet joined WEA PAC, please seek out a building representative and ask how you may get involved. During these important days before the 2012 election, we need to utilize our influence to help define the direction education policies should take.

No pay? Furlough day (and not on the weekend)!

The Representative Assembly has authorized WEA to encourage locals to adopt a "No pay cuts" position when opening contracts. This measure includes encouraging members to adopt a "reduced pay means reduced work days" position, continuing to bargain and maintain current TRI pay increases and provisions, and work with their districts to eliminate these days on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of a normally scheduled five day work week. As educators, we feel that it is our duty to educate the public that these days are not "vacation days"; they are deliberate cuts made by our legislators to balance the budget on our students' backs. We need to teach the public as we teach our students.

Less Pay = Less Days

Members are presenting an NBI that supports no pay cuts, but if there are cuts, have the association recommend to locals to adopt a "reduced pay means reduced work". In addition, the days are recommended to be scheduled to impact the system (i.e. on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of a normally scheduled 5 day work week; not near a holiday; not at the end of the year).

Some good words from this year's teacher of the year

The delegation just heard from this year's teacher of the year, Jay Maebori from Kent. He spoke of the importance of our union and the role it plays in our student's education. He also spoke about some of his experiences while advocating for education. Because of his appointment as teacher of the year, he was given the opportunity to lobby in Washington DC. He never before thought of himself doing this important work, but realized while doing it that he needed to step out of his comfort zone. It was only by doing this that he could make a change. We encourage you all to think, how can you step out of your comfort zone to make a difference? As Jay put, it is going to take something radical to change the current state of education in this state, as well as the country. We all need to be willing and ready to step up and make a difference, just like Jay Maebori.

Support for the 4th Annual NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference

The 4th Annual NW Teaching for Social Justice Conference is coming to Seattle on Saturday, October 1st, 2011 at Chief Sealth International High School. The delegation just authorized WEA to support and publicize this event. If you are interested, please contact WEA for more info (give them a few days, though...it just passed!).

LOCAL ACTION

The delegation has passed the NBI titled LOCAL ACTION. Due to legislative budget cuts resulting in substantial cuts to state funding of our schools and colleges, WEA will now encourage each local to organize a local event to engage our members and also the public media to highlight the impact of legislative budget cuts to our public schools and colleges. Start thinking Tahoma! How are these cuts affecting your students in your school? Get ready to share!

Strengthen Social Security

WEA has joined the STRENGTHEN SOCIAL SECURITY...DON'T CUT IT coalition. Prior to today, WEA-Retired and NEA have been a part of this coalition. It makes sense that we join as well.

New Business Items

Each year the WEA starts the year with a zero budget (or something like that). This means that they start at zero and prioritize expenditures based on the votes of the new business items (NBIs). The initial NBIs focus on addressing federal initiatives and funding efforts to influence lawmakers at the state level. Additionally, the body passed a NBI to strengthen Social Security.

These NBIs seem to support 'business as usual', with lobbying and the like. The fourth NBI, NBI D, is a call for local action. This would lend support to local associations from WEA for locals to design individualized actions.

I am still hoping for inspiration.
Jonathan Hartke

NEW BUSINESS ITEM B PASSES

Titled "Common Sense Education Solutions", This New Business Item allows for the WEA to provide leadership, strategic thinking, and focus on organizing amongst locals, collect information and research around what educators know to be sound instruction practice, and support legislation and local bargaining to achieve student-centered, well-rounded education for all students.

John Schuster

Small Group Break Out Discussions-

Post by David Aaby

On Friday morning, 120 tables were set up around the convention center. All the delegates were randomly assigned to these tables to have small group break out discussions to get delegate/member feedback on issues facing education.

Here is a summary of the discussion at my table group.

1. What current public education issues do you feel most engage our members?
Issues that were brought up at my table were:
Lack of funding
Reduction in force
Unfunded mandates
Suspension of the SAM
Healthcare- rising cost and purposed state takeover.


2. Given the current environment of attacks on teachers and other school employees and on public schools in general, what steps do you think WEA members are willing to take to create positive change?

My group talked about needed to do something that would show our communities and the state as a whole that the cuts have an effect on them…. The words “Shock and Awe” were used. Talk of “working to the contract” a statewide walk out, and more member involvement in lobbying efforts of elected officials

3. What power do you believe we have individually, at the local, council and state levels, and how do you think we should use that power to create the change that we want for our students, ourselves and for our schools?
Some of the ideas that were discussed were that we need to have well planned, thought out WEA events that will get our message out to our elected officials and communities. We need to do a better job of training local leaders. We need to hold our elected officials accountable.

I don’t know what WEA plans to do with the notes from these 120 separate table group discussions. Hopefully they will take what we had to say and use it to guide the agenda for the future....

How would you answer the three questions they gave us this morning?

The Representative Assembly has begun!

Our posts may be a bit delayed...Internet access is spotty at best in the convention center. The following was written last night by Jonathan Hartke.

The Representative Assembly has begun, and already, the delegates have shown much passion on two voting items in the opening minutes.  1,200 delegates from all over Washington filled Tacoma’s Convention Center with many speaking right from the start.  Our own Scott Mitchell even had some face time on the big screen as he spoke briefly. 

The first vote overturned an amendment to the standing rules on elections that was to allow candidates running unopposed to be elected without a vote or even being heard in a presentation. 

The next issue that raised the passion of the body was a call to move RA to Olympia as a show of unity to our representatives while the house is in session.  Many are tired of WEA not utilizing those who are willing to take the lead in demonstrating in a loud and obvious statement of our desire to support education.  The debate convinced the majority that we can best support our members by designing long term actions over the next three days.

Following that action item, WEA president Mary Lindquist led an impassioned speech that detailed a rough road ahead.  Much rhetoric and few details…hopefully the representatives will iron out the details of action that utilizes all our members and all our shared stakeholders.  There seems to be a real desire for a call to action, different from previous years.

 

At RA-

Sorry we did not post last night-  Blogger was down and we were unable to make any blog posts.
We will do several posts toady to keep you up to date on what has been happening at RA so far.


Here is some background info from the WEA website about RA.

What is the WEA R.A.? Watch this video
It's where members set WEA's direction

WEA is a member-driven, democratically governed organization. Once a year, about 1,000 WEA members selected by peers in their local associations gather for the WEA Representative Assembly, or WEA R.A.
The annual delegate assembly is WEA's highest policy-making body. The meeting, which has a look and feel similar to a major political convention, provides a forum where WEA members can gather, discuss, debate and vote on the policy decisions that set the state Association's goals, priorities and policies for the coming year.
It's a place for friends and fun
The WEA R.A. also is a chance for social networking, to meet and visit with peers from across Washington, to appreciate the diverse views and priorities among WEA's tens of thousands of members and, of course, an opportunity to have fun. The daily schedule for R.A. can be long and intense, however, with evening work sessions often stretching until 10 or 11 p.m.
It's a place to express your voice for change
In the weeks before and up to the R.A. business sessions, members and local association leaders can propose new policy initiatives or revisions to current policies through the introduction of New Business Items. Members can also propose changes to WEA's basic governing documents by submitting constitution and bylaw changes.
In addition, the Representative Assembly is where delegates hear updates from WEA's managers and staff on current policy issues, WEA activities during the past year, and the status of earlier directives adopted in previous R.A. delegate votes.
It's open and transparent
The WEA R.A. is a forum that can be attended and observed from a gallery for outside visitors; only WEA members, however, are allowed access to the main seating area to debate and vote on R.A. business.
The Representative Assembly rotates each year among several major convention centers across Washington. R.A. business opens Thursday evening, and continues all day Friday and all day Saturday until complete. Policy discussions are often punctuated with diverse guest speakers, including education experts, community organizers and political leaders. The R.A. recesses during lunch and dinner so that delegates can return to their hotels or dine at nearby restaurants if they choose. A social activity such as dancing typically is scheduled one evening, and Saturday morning is set aside for voting-booth style balloting on WEA's governance candidates and any proposed changes to WEA's governance documents.
It's a way to strengthen education in Washington's public schools
R.A. policy discussions typically focus on organizational strategies for WEA as well as its priorities for school funding, state regulations relating to public schools, the impact of upcoming political initiatives, professional development regulations, policies that impact working conditions for WEA members, and ensuring that WEA's many member constituencies have a voice in these broader issues. WEA's members include pre- & K-12 teachers & specialists, education support professionals and higher education faculty members.

Excitement Building: Mock RA

Every year the team from TEA meets with the other representatives from the Samammish Uniserve to hold a “Mock RA”.  At this forum we discuss the items that have been presented as action items for the WEA body to act upon.  This year’s Mock RA is May 2^nd.

We decide then if we want to take a position as a whole group, which allows us to talk on the item for a longer amount of time, or if we want to hold no position.  As always, individual representative may still vote any way they see fit, but this activity gives us a chance to discuss and possibly unify our voices into a more powerful group.

Additionally, there are opportunities to present new action items at the Mock RA, but we have found over the years that most often these items need to start well before the RA for them to be successful.

Also, quite often at the Mock RA, candidates for positions in WEA and NEA are available to present their platform and for questioning.  Electing strong leaders in these turbulent times is imperative, and getting to talk to them face to face is illuminating.

As we get closer to the representatives assembly I will make additional posts to this blog.  I will summarize the action items after I receive them, solicit your opinions as well as ask for any ideas you may have for action items.  I know we are all looking forward to representing our colleagues and friends of TEA. 

Jonathan Hartke