November 2018 Election
Virginia’s November election is just days away and it is critically important to get the vote out. Senator Tim Kaine has the VEA and NEA endorsement. Also for the first in long time that we have contested races in all our Congressional Districts. Make sure you have a plan to get to the polls and vote! Take your friends to vote!
NEA Dues and Budget Update
The 2019-2020 Strategic Plan and Budget Framework was adopted and the current NEA Budget reflects the modified strategic plan. Members’ dues have been allocated to support the strategic budget plan.
- Increase Educator Voice, Influence, and Professional Authority
- Recruit and Engage Early Career Educators
- Advance Racial Justice in Education
- Provide Professional Support
- Secure the Environment to Advance the Mission of NEA and its Affiliates
- Enhance Organizational Capacity
New Ed Campaign
We have learned important lessons in the New Ed Campaign, including reaching out and talking to our members. In Virginia, we must continue to reach out to new educators with one on one conversations and be prepared to LISTEN! “My School My Voice” is one way encourage early educators to use their professional voice.
Read Across America
Diverse books are highlighted in the annual Read Across America calendar and each book can be used to launch global education competencies. There are lesson ideas and connections you can use in your classroom. Order your calendars now! http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm
Leadership Summit
The NEA Leadership Summit will be held in Denver, Colorado on March 15-17, 2019. The focus will be on developing the leadership competencies of participants. Registration will open January 7, 2019. http://www.nea.org/leadershipsummit.
NEAEdJustice
Do educators have the right to speak up at school? What about outside of school? Public employees like public educators have limited rights when it comes to the First Amendment rights. Generally, a public educator has the greatest free speech rights when speaking as a private citizen (outside of school and not to students or parents) about issues of public concern. You may have no First Amendment protections at all when speaking as an employee (in school or to students or parents) or about workplace or personal issues outside of school.
Before speaking out or participating in an action, it is always good to ask yourself two questions: 1) Which hat will you be wearing when you speak – an educator’s or private citizen’s? And 2) What are you speaking about? Is it a topic of general public concern, or a personal grievance?
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/
Hispanic Observance
During the Hispanic Observance, the NEA Board of Directors heard from Luis Maldonado, Chief Advocacy Officer for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). HACU was created in 1986 by 19 founding member institutions across six states and five educational associations. The mission was to engage in activities that heightened the awareness among corporations, foundations, governmental agencies, and individuals of the role that member colleges and universities play in educating the nation’s Hispanic youth.
American Indian/Alaska Native Observance
AI/NA Chair Tucker Quetone shared his powerful story of the
importance of education in his family and impact it has had on his life as a
Native American. Ahniwake Rose, Executive directors of National Indian
Education Association, emphasized that educators should monitor the accuracy,
inclusion, and images used in curriculums.
Rep Assembly Schedule Changes
NEA President Lily Eskelsen-Garcia provided details on schedule changes to the Representative Assembly in Houston. This revision and reimagining process started last year with asking for your input on the RA and taking a look at the RA by the numbers. The proposed schedule change includes having virtual Open Hearings for Legislative, Resolutions, the Strategic Budget and Constitution and Bylaws in June. The 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
The initial months following the Supreme Court’s unfavorable ruling for labor in the Janus vs. AFSCME Council 31 case on June 27 has been filled with court filings. Lots and lots of court filings! NEA General Counsel Alice O’Brien briefed the NEA Board that there have been 26 lawsuits filed including 15 against the NEA and its affiliates. Most of these filings center on one fees collected and whether or not the Janus Decision should be enforced retroactively, unit member contact information, and window periods for drop periods. There is a concerted effort to continue to attack labor unions on all fronts including in the courts system.
O’Brien said one of the strategies employed by the various conservative groups representing the plaintiffs is to get these 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.
O’Brien highlighted two non-Janus cases as significant: The first is a suit filed by the NEA and CTA against Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education after the department moved to illegally delay rules intended to protect students enrolled in online education programs. The National Student Legal Defense Net- work is representing the plaintiffs. The second is a suit filed on behalf of Missouri NEA against the Missouri Department of Labor challenging House Bill 1413. Now a law, HB 1413 for all public sector unions that are not “public safety” unions strips them of nearly all rights to engage in collective bargaining; restricts their ability to collect dues by payroll deduction and spend funds on political speech; forces them into annual recertification votes; and mandates that they file costly and burdensome
NEA Vision and Mission Statements
The Board began a review process to review the Vision and Mission statements of the NEA as directed by the NBI 59. This feedback was collected and will be reviewed by members of the Executive Committee to help direct future opportunities for engagement and feedback at other NEA gatherings leading to the 2019 RA in Houston, TX.
Our mission is to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.
Community Ally Constitutional Amendment
Constitutional Amendment #3 provides for a Community ally membership category at the NEA level. This amendment does not require any states to adopt the ally category. In introducing the Constitutional Amendment, the NEA Executive Committee’s Hannah Vaandering noted: “I am sure you have all heard ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.’ I hope you have also heard ‘It is never the wrong time to do the right thing.’ “Our plan is not to do the same thing. Our plan is to do the right thing!” (Currently 31 states already have this category AL, AR, AZ, CA, FEDERAL, FL, GA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NH, NM, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VT, and WV.)