Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/322788
June 2014 isea.org • ISEA Communiqué 2 NEWS bRiefS Bring Back Our Girls like the rest of the world, we have watched the news for some sign of progress in finding the more than 200 nigerian girls kidnapped on April 14, 2014 from their dormitories at their school. the school is a rural school where families have the chance to give their daughters an education. in this region, 72 percent of primary school-aged boys and girls never go to school, but much more often it is the girls who do not go. in the middle of the night, armed men attacked the few security guards at the school, dragged the girls from their beds, and forced them into trucks and drove away. no one has seen the girls since. over 200 girls disappeared. the terrorist group, boko haram, claims to have them and are sending mocking videos saying that they will sell the girls into "marriage". As educators we understand the power we have to open the minds of our students to new ideas. As a union, we understand the collective power to make our student's needs known to those who can change things. So, it is with these thoughts in mind that we raise our voices in support of these young women in their time of need. Go to nea.org to sign a petition to express our solidarity with the kidnapped girls and implore the world not to forget them, support all efforts to ensure their safe return, and to make sure that all attempts are made to ensure schools are safe places to learn, and are protected from attack. #BringBackOurGirls Brown v. Board of Education on May 17, 1954, brown v. board overthrew the Jim crow ideology of "separate but equal." the unanimous Supreme court decision not only outlawed school segregation policies, but also invigorated the civil rights movement's quest to end Jim crow laws affecting everything from lunch counters, to buses, to voting rights. Sixty years later, the future of public education stands at a critical crossroads reminiscent of the pre-brown days. our public schools can, and must be, greenhouses for democracy, social justice, and community revitalization, not segregation and attack. the success of our nation's public schools rests on creating a pipeline of quality resources and opportunities from a child's earliest years through higher education. this pipeline starts with quality resources and opportunities in a child's earliest years to ensure their healthy development and prepare them for kindergarten. in addition, accessible, affordable and high quality postsecondary education is necessary to meet workforce needs and ensure a steady flow of civic-minded, educated community leaders. iowa's schools look much different today than 10 years ago. over 40 percent of iowa's public school children qualify for free and reduced meals, and an increased demand for ell and special education services has meant prioritizing other offerings. these realities coupled with the "reformer" demand of reducing the lens of learning to a bubble test, has meant that an accurate reflection of students' out- of-school circumstances and other mitigating factors take a backseat and scores are at the forefront. Schools are pitted against each other, a division between urban and rural, rich v. poor, and other population divides occurs. Go to nea.org to learn more about what tools and resources are available to combat the erosion of gains made in brown v. board. Membership winners As part of their agreement with iSeA and as a way to say thank you to iSeA members for their continued support, horace Mann sponsored five one-year Association memberships. Members were selected randomly by computer and were presented with checks covering their state and unit dues by their local uniServ directors. three recipients were chosen in november of 2013 and the final two were announced in April at delegate Assembly. "winners were surprised and thrilled to receive the news that their Association dues were being reimbursed for the year," said iSeA member benefits coordinator, Sheryl ballard. "we have a good, longstanding partnership with horace Mann, and this sponsorship was a great way for five lucky members to receive some extra support from one of our partners," added ballard. the five horace Mann paid membership winners were: Jennifer Roth Mid-prairie education Association unit 9 uniServ unit Marcie Schuiteman Sioux center education Association northern pride uniServ unit debra brix harlan education Association Southwest uniServ unit paula Azinger burlington education Association Geode uniServ unit AmyJo cox dubuque education Association Jdc uniServ unit