John Stocks to Take on New Position

At the February NEA Board meeting it was announced that John Stocks will be transitioning to a new position within the NEA to help develop plans, coalitions, and campaigns to bring about the core values of the NEA: Equal Opportunity, A Just Society, Democracy, Professionalism, Partnership, and Collective Action.  Both Stocks and Lily Eskelsen Garcia indicated that they had been discussing his role and the importance of keeping Stocks’ vison and drive to help move the NEA forward through elections and strategic planning. In his remarks, Stocks said, “When I talked to Lily last fall, I told her that I had become deeply disturbed by the course of our country  and was being called to devote all of my time, my talents, and my energy to the cause of saving our democracy.” Eskelsen Garcia jokingly said that he will be the Senior Advisor to Save Democracy, but she was very serious about the need for his work to continue.  She indicated that remain in the role of NEA Executive Director until a replacement is found, and then he will transition to his new role through January of 2021. Stocks will leverage the relationships he’s developed with deep pocketed donors to help fund progressive movement organizations’ work around the 2020 election cycle.

Presidential Election Update

The Candidate field is becoming crowded, and NEA is working to engage all potential and rumored viable candidates for the Presidency.  The NEA PAC approved questionnaire will be sent to viable candidates, and  after the questionnaire has been returned candidates will be invited to an interview, which will be recorded and shared with members along with analysis of candidate policies. As a reminder, the PAC council has the authority to make presidential primary recommendations to the NEA Board of Directors. 

Read Across America

Here in Virginia, the SVEA hosted a Read Across America Event at MacArthur Center which was well attended. Please continue to use the NEA Read Across America Resources in your classrooms to teach about diverse topics. https://www.readacrossamerica.org

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Leadership Summit 

The NEA Leadership Summit was be held in Denver, Colorado on March 15-17, 2019. The focus was be on developing the leadership competencies of participants.

ESP Conference  was March 22-24 in Las Vegas. The goal is to strengthen and grow the professional excellence of ESP members working in Pre-K to Higher Ed through interactive learning experiences.   http://www.nea.org/espconference

Retiree Conference was March 17-18 in Denver Colorado.

NEAEdJustice

“Racial Justice in Education” is a new resource from NEA.  The toolkit answers the question “Why racial equity and justice?” and provides tools for talking about race, advocacy, and strategic planning.

Can you be fired for participating in a rally or walkout? What if there is a student walkout? Find out more at https://neaedjustice.org/2018/03/12/7-questions-educators-asking-rights-speak-protest-engage-activism/

Rep Assembly Schedule Changes

NEA will be publishing dates soon for the “Open Hearings” for the Strategic Plan and Budget, Legislative, Constitution & By-Laws and Resolutions that will take place in JUNE before the Representative Assembly. All delegates will be invited to attend virtually. It will critical to have accurate emails and phone numbers.  When you are sent the registration link from NEA-please register!

VEA will coordinating schedule changes to the NEA RA.  VEA will not have an evening reception.  The RA schedule eliminates the EXPO and replaces it with a Delegate Experience. The RA would be July 4-7, with the first VEA caucus meeting on July 3.

General Counsel Report

There is a continued effort to attack labor unions on all fronts including in the court system.  Recent rulings at the Supreme Court appear to make the case that we will have may battles ahead.  NEA Counsel O’Brien said one of the strategies employed by the various conservative groups is to get court cases into the court system as soon as possible, get a ruling, and begin the appeals process (if negative to the plaintiff) with the hopes of getting cases to the Supreme Court under the belief with the current makeup SCOTUS is likely to rule against labor. 


Implicit Bias Training  

The NEA Board participated in training on implicit Bias.  This part of the  ongoing work NEA  is doing ot  Los Angeles, and look for Oakland, Florida, and Denver.  What is important to remember is that funding for many schools are still significantly below the prerecession levels of 2008. This has had a huge impact in our schools. Even when governors “increase money to K-12” much of that money goes to replace old equipment, outdated resources or previously riffed employees. Superintendents and school Board have to juggle so many competing needs that educator raises are taken off the table.  As we know education funding is different in all the states.