[Vision2020] NEA Leader Urges Teachers to Mobilize

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (April 16, 2011) Spokesman-Review.

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NEA leader urges teachers to mobilize
Idaho educators back repeal move

BOISE – Idaho teachers were called to action Friday by one of the nation’s
top education union leaders who told them to turn imminent budget cuts,
the loss of tenure and new restrictions on their collective bargaining
rights into motivation for restoring their own political clout.

National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel challenged
Idaho educators to stand up and fight back against the GOP-led Legislature
and a slew of education reforms pushed through by public schools chief Tom
Luna.

They took a first step Friday, with more than 550 teachers unanimously
voting to move forward with a referendum on repealing the reform laws.
That vote could be on the 2012 ballot.

Van Roekel, a former math teacher-turned-fiery orator, said that despite
setbacks in the just-ended 2011 session, “we are not going away.”

“We will advocate for our students, for our members and for middle-class
America,” he said between applause from the hundreds of education
delegates. “You have not demoralized us. You have energized and organized
us in a way we have never been before.”

Van Roekel’s message and the delegates’ referendum vote took place during
a meeting in Boise as part of the Idaho Education Association’s annual
assembly.

Action needs to begin at the ground level, he said, with teachers and
educators pushing efforts to bring voters to the ballot box.

Advocates are in for an uphill fight, though, with the referendum aiming
to overturn all three of the education laws needing 48,000 signatures by
early June. Luna also faces a separate, long-shot effort to recall him
from office.

Idaho Department of Education spokeswoman Melissa McGrath said the three
bills weren’t meant as an assault on teachers.

“Nothing in these bills prevents teachers from working with their local
teacher association. In fact, many parts of the bill will ask for teacher
input,” she said. “One bill of the three dealt with labor and employment
at the local school district level but that was just one part of the plan.
The plan as a whole is focused on students.”

While GOP lawmakers claimed the reforms are needed to help balance the
state budget and improve unsatisfactory test scores, Van Roekel said the
rollbacks of tenure and collective bargaining in Idaho are nothing more
than an attack on the middle class.

Teachers nationwide, including those in Wisconsin, Maine, Ohio, and
Indiana facing similar reforms, are also on the defensive, he said.

“It is not about money, it is not about balancing the budget in tough
economic times and it is sure not about putting students first,” Van
Roekel said. “What it’s about is political payback, it’s about silencing
the voice of unions and middle-class Americans.”

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National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel speaks to the
Idaho Education Association at the teachers union gathering at the Boise
Centre on Friday.

http://media.spokesman.com/photos/2011/04/16/16_NEA_President_Idaho_t620.jpg

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
changeand the Realist adjusts his sails."

 - Unknown