Proud to be NEA
I’m proud to be a member of the National Education
Association. That is not news. I’ve been a member of
Missouri NEA since it began in 1973 and a lifetime member
of MNEA-Retired and NEA-R since those membership categories
were established.
Recently, however, I had the opportunity to have that pride
reconfirmed as I attended my first meeting as a member of
the NEA Board of Directors. For those of you who may not have
that opportunity, you need to know that you are part of a
first-class organization. I’d like to share two examples.
Before the meeting even began, I was part of a two-day lobbying
effort. The first day was focused on the repeal of the Social
Security offsets (Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination
Provision.) The second day was devoted to issues surrounding
improving the provisions of No Child Left Behind, providing
prescription drug coverage for public employees as part of
Medicare, increasing funding for Pell Grants and opposing
vouchers.
We did not go “unarmed.” First, we attended an
extensive briefing session on the issues. We received Congressional
directories and materials to share with our representatives.
And we were held accountable. We each had reporting sheets
that provided possible questions and brief summaries of the
issues. The seven MNEA members who participated in one or
both of these days managed to visit all 11 Missouri Congressional
representatives.
Move on to the meeting of the NEA Board, 170-members-from-across-the-nation
strong. We heard numerous reports and approved funding grants
for several state affiliates to help them with state and/or
local issues. We heard from Mary Hatwood Futrell, president
of Education International, about the difference teachers
are making in classrooms throughout the world, many with far
less funding and poorer facilities than we enjoy in the United
States.
The numerous problems with the provisions of the No Child
Left Behind Act were the subject of discussions in our lobbying
and in both days of the NEA Board meeting. NEA Government
Relations staff outlined improvements that could make NCLB
less punitive and more meaningful.
As I packed my materials and prepared to head home, I was
tired but invigorated, knowing that I am a small part of a
national organization that is making a difference for kids.
by Martha Karlovetz
MNEA-Retired president
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