Thank you for electing me as one of your delegates to the 146th National Education Association (NEA) Annual Meeting held July 1-July 6. Delegates’ representing the United Teachers of Richmond was Mel Collins, Hadjah McLeod (successor delegate), Pixie Hayward Schickele, Terri Jackson, Debora Willis, and Robert Ellis. NEA delegates tackled a range of tough issues and policy on the convention floor at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC, July-3-6. Delegates are the primary legislative and policymaking body of the National Education Association.
President Reg Weaver opened the first day of the 87th Representative Assembly (RA), with his final keynote address to over 12,000 delegates and guests. President, Weaver led the National Education Association for six years. Weaver highlighted the need for change in education and in the nation and looked ahead to the decisive 2008 elections. The theme for this 2008 Annual Meeting is Team NEA: Commitment; Courage; Power.
Through the Parliamentary process we took action on New Business Items, Resolutions, and Amendments to the Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules, and Legislative Amendments.
The First Day of the RA – California Activists Stand Strong on Health Care
On the first day of business the NEA Board of Directors moved (NBI) NEW BUSINESS ITEM A. This NBI is NEA’s basic policies on both the importance of health care coverage and the urgent need for health reform that are set forth in NEA Resolutions and in the NEA Legislative Program.
Health care is a primary concern in California, in the country and the nation. When I saw NBI A, I immediately began collaborating with my sisters and brothers in the Oakland Education Association and in our Caucuses to develop language to amend this NBI in support of health care reform.
Delegates from New Jersey also amended the language by addition on the floor of the RA. I submitted several changes to the appropriate committee and was waiting to speak on the floor of the RA. When I was recognized by the chair, I was asked if I would be willing to postpone until later because several changes were being proposed, I concurred. This postponement was significant and is worth taking the time to tell what happen in the interim.
During the postponement, I was asked to meet with NEA Staff and board member. I requested Bill Balderston from the Oakland Education Association meet with us. Balderston is also the issues chair of our Peace and Justice Caucus. He was also instrumental in working with me to craft the amendments that were being proposed.
We informed members of the NEA staff and board that our focus was universal single-payer health care. Delegates and members of the Peace and Justice Caucus endorsed our efforts. Some NEA members from California and in other states believe that NEA and its resources would play a major role and make an impact in the universal health care reform debate and in achieving health care coverage and single-payer health care for all. We urged NEA to support our amendments and California in its efforts and lead the way to real universal single payer health care reform for all. We educated them on the work that was being done in California on this issue. Further, single-payer health care reform would provide access for all regardless of employment status. Single-payer health care is a means of controlling health cost inflation. Currently 30% of every health care dollar is spent on administrative overhead, high administrative executive salaries, advertising and share holder benefits.
NEA staff informed us that the board had committed and approved major funding and resources that directed staff to join a coalition of unions and organizations in a campaign to achieve universal health care reform. NEA had conducted polling among NEA members and the results determined that the campaign needed to have more flexibility working with diverse groups within a coalition. They also wanted to let us know that NEA believes that comprehensive affordable health care coverage can best be achieved through a single-payer health care system. Staff agreed to come to the Peace and Justice Caucus to clarify issues, provide additional information on NEA’s campaign and answer questions. We negotiated and agreed on proposed language changes.
The next session of the RA, I moved to amend NEW BUSINESS ITEM A. Early in the debate the NBI was referred to a NEA committee. However, talks continued with delegates from Wisconsin, who felt that the NBI should not be referred and the vote to refer was without merit. In a subsequent meeting the delegate from Wisconsin joined the debate with NEA staff and NBI A was replaced by NEW BUSINESS ITEM 75. A compromise and agreement was reached and new business item 75 was adopted by the Representative Assembly delegates.
Although we didn’t get everything we wanted, through our efforts, we raised an awareness and expectation that health care reform for all is the goal. We also will hold NEA staff to their commitment to inform the Peace and Justice Caucus on every step of the campaign to achieve health care reform for all. We will stay in touch. I want to thank Margaret Browne who was not a delegate attending the RA for her email contributions and all the other delegates and supporters who worked collectively with Bill Balderston and me.
Top Five NEW BUSINESS ITEMS:
NBI 7 – NEA review and disseminate research and best practices for dropout prevention…
NBI 8 – NEA affirms longstanding commitment to Resolution B-20, the Education of Refugee and Undocumented Children and Children of Undocumented Immigrants…students who have graduated from U.S. high schools but have no paths to citizenship because their parents are undocumented.
NBI 16 – NEA and its affiliates will disseminate existing data and analysis demonstrating the relationship of socioeconomic status and per pupil funding to standardized test scores…strive to counter the myth that teachers and the educational establishment alone can overcome social, economic, health and other barriers to equal educational opportunity in our society.
NBI – 27 The NEA will send a letter urging Congress to block attempts by the Bush administration to commit the U.S. to a permanent military presence in Iraq.
NBI – 28 NEA will encourage its local affiliates to collaborate with their local governing boards to pass a proclamation denouncing the provision of ESEA so called “No Child Left Behind.” This proclamation would be developed collaboratively between the local union and governing board….
New Association Leadership:
Your newly elected leadership is President-elect, Dennis Van Roekel; Vice President-elect Lily Eskelsen; and Secretary-Treasurer-elect Becky Pringle. Princess Moss of Virginia and Len Paolillo of Massachusetts won seats on the Executive Committee.
Upcoming Event:
Next year the NEA Representative Assembly will be held in San Diego, California July 1-6, 2009.
PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT RESULTS:
Delegates recommend Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States
Results Passed Yes 6,841 79.75% No 1,737 20.25%
Other Activities
Governor Mike Easley of North Carolina was presented with its first America's Greatest Education Governor award
NEA gave a tribute to Barbara Morgan an elementary school teacher and a space shuttle Endeavor Astronaut from Idaho and received the 2008 Friend of Education Award
Laura Vernon a school safety assistant from Milwaukee received the 2008 Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year
Mohamed El-Khawas, president from the University of the District of Columbia Faculty Association, and Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton, welcomed the delegates to the city
Members attended one or more of 37 special interest caucuses, tributes to outgoing President, Reg Weaver
In Solidarity,
Diane Brown
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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