WEA RA - Saturday, May 19

Saturday, May 18  

WEA PAC General Membership Meeting

Financial and membership reports were given.  No problems were found with the audit.

Growth Report:

May 2008 - 19,473
May 2012 - 29,028 WEA PAC

Amazing growth but we need more when we're up again SUPER PACS financed by billionaires!

We're encouraging every member to contribute $20.12 to help our initiatives and fund resources for the upcoming elections!

OHIO Education Association's --- President Pat Frost Brooks

   "We fought the struggle of our lives all because we took for granted our leaders who were pro-education that were elected in 2006. We had clear warnings about our govern Governor Kasick before he was elected in 2010.  He said, "'I will never meet with the unions until they all publish a full-page add of apology in all newspapers in the state of Ohio.'"

"Our members understand what they did when they elected a new governor over the trivial issue of calamity days (snow days)."

"You must keep learning!  You must keep leading!"

• Stopped Senate Bill 5 - 350,000 state and municipal workers would have no bargaining rights
• We were locked out of the state house.
• Signatures were gathered all over the state of Ohio. 1.3 million signatures were gathered.
• We canvased so much we felt like tents.

Rep. Marcie Maxwell 
Friend of Education Award Winner 2012

Deputy Majority Lead for Education and Opportunity

She has been a huge voice in turning the conversation from the "bad teacher narrative" to the topic of 

"fully fund education." She believes in public education and has been a vocal advocate for stopping the charter school movement by carefully researching their failure.

On Charter Schools:  "I've gone from no, to hell no on that issue!"

New Business Item (adopted)
WEA PAC Membership Goal = 50% + 1

Keep repeating, repeating, repeating the message!
We need members to help fight our political battles with well-financed foes.

Election Results (certified)


ESP at large and ESP minority member -
Both will require a run-off election at lunch today.

NEA State Director, Position 1 - Ted Reihl
NEA State Director, Position 2 - Stephen Miller

Amendment #1 - (failed)

Officers' Terms of Office

To change officer's term of office from three (3) consecutive two-year terms to two (2) consecutive three-year terms beginning in 2013.

Amendment #2 - (passed)

On-going School Funding Efforts

The implementation phase of the Supreme Court's order will be at least through 2018.Costs to WEA including lobbying and engaging the public to keep pressure on the legislature, are difficult to predict depending on the legislative resistance. However, it is important that we have funds available in order to maximize our efforts. This amendment will raise $850,000 per year, or $5.1 million over this six year period with an assessment of $1.00 per month assessment.

NEA Board Directors Annual Report
17 states threatened by bargaining rights being threatened
27 states are in the midst of "reform" legislation
31 states - charter school initiatives
Elections are important!
NEA budget - drop in membership
Lost 300,00 members nationwide due to legislation
Lost revenue $65 million dollars

New Business Items 


New Business Item #11 (not adopted)
WEA Organizing Leader

There is a perception that WEA leadership is not effectively organizing with visible action to combat the attacks on education and public sector unions.

New Business Item #12 (not adopted)

Retirement Incentive for Educational Employees

The State of Washington could realize a savings for salaries by offering an incentive to educational employees with 30 years of service who are under the retirement age of 62/65.

New Business Item #13 (withdrawn)

New Business #14 (not adopted)
Optional Reimbursement for Small Rural Conferences

Small/Rural conference participants are required to share lodging at conferences and WEA fully funds shared rooms.

New Business Item #15 (withdrawn)

Preserving Employee for Same-Sex Partnerships in Washington State

Referendum 71 was designed to overturn Washington's June 12, 2008, domestic partnership bill that expanded rights and responsibilities of same-sex domestic partnerships.

New Business Item #16 (adopted)

Maintaining and Lowering the Student Loan Rate

There have been congressional efforts to double the interest rate on Stafford Loans.

Link to Our Voice to express thoughts on this issue to members of Congress.

New Business Item #17 (not adopted)
Challenging Healthcare as Taxable Income

Congressional proposals to treat healthcare provided by employers as taxable income have been challenges by the NEA. Link to websites to express thoughts on this issue to members of Congress.

New Business Item #18 (withdrawn)

New Business Item #19 (adopted)

Web Access to WEA elections on the WEA website had been cumbersome

Develop an election information tap on the frontpage (WEA Home Page)

New Business Item #20 (adopted)
Fingerprinting Law 

Teacher candidates need fingerprints for field experiences. Fingerprints are only valid for two years. WEA will lobby the state to increase fingerprinting validity from two to three years.

New Business Item #21 (adopted)

Teach for America (TFA) in Washington State

WEA will publicly oppose Teach for America (TFA) contracts when they are used in districts where there is no teacher shortage.

New Business Item #22 (not adopted)

Occupy Olympia

$11 billion has been cut from the budget leaving Washington sate $18 billion short of metting its education mandate by 2018,and devastating educators' and students' lives. WEA will organize a statewide day of action and rally in Olympia.

New Business Item #23 (out of order)

Policy on Accountability

Update the 2005 WEA Policy on Accountability to reflect changes to state and federal mandates, legislation, or OSPI requirements. 

New Business Item #24 (not adopted)
Supporting "WEAr Red for Ed"

Making 5000 t-shirts for members to wear with a slogan.

New Business Item #25 (adopted)

Build WEA Membership by Enrolling Substitutes

There are 1,321 active substitute teacher in WEA. Unrepresented subs do not have benefit of liability or representation if they are not WEA members. WEA will increase and promote membership based on prorated daily pay.

New Business Item #26 (not adopted)

Encourage Rank and File Educator Defense Committees (EDC)

WEA will encourage locals to form EDC to help with the evaluation process or is under disciplinary action.

New Business Item #27 (referred to committee)

Healthcare for All

NEA is on record as supporting a universal, single-payer health care system. WEA will advocate for and actively lobby our state legislature to bring a single-payer health care system to Washington.

New Business Item #28 (withdrawn)


New Business Item #29 (referred to committee)
Take You Legislator/Public Official to Work Day

This important issue was referred to committee for further discussion.

New Business Item #30 (referred to committee)
WEA Peer Mentor Program

Referred executive committee for further discussion.

New Business Item #31 (adopted)

Abuse of Emergency Career Technical Education Certification

WEA will look into the abuse of having emergency certification for the CTE courses around the states.

New Business Item #32 (adopted)
Career Technical Education Class Size 

WEA will work to reduce class sizes for CTE courses.

New Business Item #33 (adopted)
Affirming the 2012-2013 WEA-PAC Goal.

Affirmed the goal set at WEA-PAC earlier in the day at the WEA-PAC meeting.

New Business Item #34 (failed)
Move the "Day of Action" UP 


New Business Item #35 (adopted)
"It Takes A Nation"Video Project Teacher Voice

Do not include children in videos or work with their names.

Resolution B-12 (adopted)
Citizenship Education

The intent is to stand for respect and to support the sacrifices that have been made.

Resolution D-4 (adopted)

Inclusive Diversity

WEA believes that all local affiliates and UniServ Councils should develop plans for inclusive diversity.

Listen to Thom's Speech at the Link Below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jl5_cyuKwM

Resolution I-8 (adopted)

Public Campaign Financing

To regulate political contributions by corporations to elect pro-public education decision-makers.

WEA RA 2012 - Friday, May 18

Mary Lindquist's Address

"Will we allow the name of Washington be ripped apart from these political forces?  We are not Wisconsin but we are one election away from being Wisconsin. Last year has showed us that we are in the the middle of a wild fire. This is a wild fire being fueled by a few rich men that don't have the values of our communities."

"This is the fight of our lives. The next 173 days will determine our future."

"We have 173 days. We have 4,152 hours. We need to make every hour count."

Day of Action --- November 6, 2012 ------Organizing has begun now!

Constitution and Bylaws 


Amendment #1
Officers' Terms of Office

To change officer's term of office from three (3) consecutive two-year terms to two (2) consecutive three-year terms beginning in 2013.

Washington State Teacher of the Year ------ Mark Ray

When a recent asked who can improve the education system in the United States, 45% of the public say ---- teachers themselves.

Mark spoke about the teacher RESPECT Program:

www.ed.gov/news/speeches/teachers-get-r-e-s-p-e-c-t

RESPECT (Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence and Collaborative Teaching) Program

Amendment #2

On-going School Funding Efforts

The implementation phase of the Supreme Court's order will be at least through 2018.Costs to WEA including lobbying and engaging the public to keep pressure on the legislature, are difficult to predict depending on the legislative resistance. However, it is important that we have funds available in order to maximize our efforts. This amendment will raise $850,000 per year, or $5.1 million over this six year period with an assessment of $1.00 per month assessment.

New Business Item B (adopted)

Shaping Strong Student-centered Public Education

Cost : $265,000

Making sure we provide opportunities on for councils and locals to educate and organize leaders, members, and staff around accountability, evaluation and HR reform. We use our expertise and research to guide our our profession.

New Business Item C (adopted)

Federal Initiative

Advocate for federal policy that will positively affect Washington's public schools especially ample funding of public education. WEA will oppose federal initiative that promote unproven or damaging reforms. This will allow for us to coordinate internally with the NEA regarding reasonable ESEA reauthorization and assist with locals in addressing federal laws and mandates. We will educate and lobby OSPI around CCSS as well.

New Business Item D (adopted)

Social Security Education for Members

WEA will annually provide information needed to help members be aware of the history and importance of social security to them, their families, and their students now and in the future.

New Business Item #1 (adopted)

Wear Red for Public Ed

Red has become the recognized color for public education. Developing a common timeline for wearing red will provide visible reminders within communities statewide. The recommendation will be to wear red every Wednesday through 2013.

 "Jay has the courage and integrity to lead our state." Mary Lindquist

"Let me say this clearly, 'As governor, I will not allow a Wisconsin style attack to happen.'" 

Jay Inslee

"Most innovative and best teachers in the country. I believe in good teachers and good teaching. That is why I'm here. I was lucky. I had great teachers. Mrs. Overland taught me how to read. I was lucky and I had great teaching. I am now ready to be governor. Great teaching is the secret to success for our date future. We need to everything possible to keep our innovation alive. We need to match our education to meet the needs of of a new economy by creating new companies (mentioned University of Utah). None of this is possible without a solid K-12 system. I have seen great examples of schools who are achieving excellence. We need to be an innovation school system.

New Business Item #3 (adopted)

WEA Chorus

Cost: $5,000 

New Business Item #4 (passed)
Save Our Schools (SOS) Conference

WEA to send three (3) members of governance to the SOS Conference in Washington D.C.

 Special Order of Business

John Stocks, NEA Executive Director


Divide and conquer both private and public section unions. 
Governor Scott Walker

What you want to avoid at all costs was what happened in Wisconsin last winter. That particular experience was because we didn't do a good job in the election of 2010. The stakes are high for you this year with your race for governor now.  Wisconsin was the first state in the union to create collective bargaining rights for public employees.  The legislation eliminated collective bargaining rights as well as many other rights teachers have 

Work as if your life and union depended on it. Work on it like you've never worked before in an election. You do not want, under any circumstances, what my fellow friends and educators have had to go through in Wisconsin.

Candidate remarks for NEA State Director and At-Large positions on the WEA Board of Directors - John Fleming, WEA nominations and elections work team chairperson

Evening Session

Photo by Mark Mains

New Business Item #5 (passed)

Restore Basic Education Funding for Alternative Learning Students

In violation of Article IX, Section 1 of the State Constitution, the State Legislature has reduced basis education funding for alternative learning students and for alternative learning education (ALE) online programs.

New Business Item #6 (failed)

Fifty-five (55 days) Educators Worked Without Pay (2011-2012 School Year)

The current School Allocation Model (SAM) is 30% less than it would be if it had been increased by the Seattle Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the last 32 years.

New Business Item #7 (failed)

Fifty-five (55 days) Educators Worked Without Pay (2011-2012 School Year)

The current School Allocation Model (SAM) is 30% less than it would be if it had been increased by the Seattle Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the last 32 years. Survey members.

New Business Item #8 (passed)

National Resolution Against High Stakes Testing (see attached)

School systems are spending inordinate amounts of time money, and energy on high stakes testing. NEA co-authored this resolution requesting re-evaluation of public school accountability.

New Business Item #9 (passed)

Equitable Access to PoliSparks Training

The BOAR region has sponsored a successful "spark"-like training in Olympia to initiate and train members in political organizing for the last five years.

New Business Item #10 (failed)

Education Every Week in Olympia

Educators in Washington will be pro-active about education issues and building relationships with legislators by establishing a regular and consistent presence each week during the legislative session.

WEA RA 2012 - May 17 -Gov. Gregoire Speaks

Photo by Dana Wiebe

• Early learning - birth to 8 are critical "Thrive by Five" created the Dept. of Early Learning
• All-day Kindergarten - began with implementation for the poorest schools and are expanding
• Science, technology, math, and engineering - new standards and assistance for education - "Navigation 101"

"Governing in good times was a whole lot easier than during hard times. In the fall of 2008, the greed of wall street hit Washington. Our sales taxes were devastated --- 11 billion dollars in cuts since that time."

Despite the cuts, there are many positives that have happened. Including some of the programs Governor Gregoire highlighted below:

Innovation Schools - We don't have a failure in our state. Aviation School, Tacoma School of the Arts, etc. 

State Level Student Accountability Council for Colleges

National Board Certification - More than 10% of 6,174 (4th in the nation)

Defeated Initiative 1033 

Passed legislation for a new K-12 funding formula (implementation deadline of 2018)

"We must have a new source of revenue!"

President Mary Lindquist introduced members of the executive committee and other people who make this Representative Assembly a success.

Photo Credit by Phil Falk

New Business Items

Standing Rule Amendments

#1 - Campaign Materials Limitation (motion failed)

Vote as Division was called:   no - 501, 311 - yes, 11 - abstention

Intent is to preclude officers from wearing WEA candidate campaign materials when working in an official capacity at the main stage microphones.

#2 Projection Screen Capabilities (motion failed)

To decrease participation confusion during amendments and increase the time for participants to properly consider and write any changes to written documents.

#3 Clarifying "Reasonable" in Achieving Ethnic Minority/People of Color Representation in WEA-RA Local Delegations (motion failed)

To better align the intent of the WEA Constitution to the realities and limitations of local associations.

#4 Withdrawn

#5 Candidate Speeches (motion carries)

To allow flexibility in scheduling the business of the assembly.

#6 Ref Assembly Video Screens (motion failed)

To decrease participant confusion during amendments and increase the time for participants to properly consider and write down amendments shown on screen.

Order of Business was accepted.
Minutes from 2011 WEA RA was accepted.
WEA Budget and Finance Committee Report, Mike Ragan
WEA Membership Report/New Affiliations - 81,600 members, no new affiliations

Address of the WEA Executive Director, John Okamoto
"We cannot we divided as a union."
9,000 one-on-one conversations in over 6 months

Tom Ahearne NEWS Lead Attorney spoke about article 9, section 1 of the McCleary Case
The state has consistently inadequately funded education.

Reading of Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws (Tab 3) David Theisen, WEA Documents and Resolutions work Team Chairperson