Arizona Education Association

Spring 2016

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4 ADVOCATE | SPRING 2016 POINT OF VIEW by Andrew F. Morrill n January of 1988, I began teaching English at Marana High School. After a few weeks a veteran teacher asked me if I'd joined the Marana Education Association. That's how he described MEA-a professional association. I joined without much thought; it made sense to me. Professionals join professional associations. A few years later, I started paying attention to growing political tension between the Marana governing board and administration and the MEA members who were doing something called bargaining my contract. My local president tapped me to observe the negotiations process and write about it in our MEA newsletter. These MEA members seemed connected to something that gave them strength and purpose. I volunteered to write a bit more for the newsletter. I became an Association Representative and then our local grievance chair. I started attending AEA conferences and trainings. And then it was 1998 and I was MEA President. And then it was 2001 and I was AEA Treasurer. And now it's 2016, and I'll be leaving the AEA Presidency this summer, having served two terms, and two terms as Vice President before that. It's time to go. Leaders should not become institutions-institutionalized, maybe, but not institutions, because organizations are stronger than individuals and that's how it ought to be. Individuals can bring leadership to an organization, but they can stretch their arms only so wide for so long. 20,000 members can stretch their arms out together across the state. They can reach out and embrace teachers, counselors, and dozens of Education Support Professional roles-all those roles that complete the education community in which our students grow and thrive. They can educate and steward over a million students. They can reach out for tomorrow and forever. No one individual can do all that. Our organization, the AEA, includes governance and staff. The two are interdependent. From members, to AEA Board, to officers-local and state-governance calls out the organization's mission, vision, and core values. We set the priorities, but we could not move on them much without our staff, from executive director to every one of our organizational consultants and associates. Governance answers the "who" and the "why": Who are we and why does the AEA exist? Our staff answers the thousands of "how" moments: How do we act on our values to pursue our mission? It's a partnership. It's a union. Leaders lead with the support of staff and governance structures; with the collective strength, heart, and conscience of members; and on the foundation of shared beliefs and purpose. Leadership of any impact always means taking risks, but balancing that risk is the foundation and certainty that members provide. Leaders and members are also interdependent. It's a pact. It's a union. Joel Barker defined leaders as those whom others follow to a place they would not go by themselves. The counter is also true: Without members who consent to take the journey, leaders would simply wander afar and alone. Whether as an AEA member or leader, I have never felt alone. Words will never sufficiently convey my gratitude for that. AEA OFFICERS Andrew F. Morrill President Joe Thomas Vice-President Nidia Lias Treasurer AEA STAFF Mark J. Simons Executive Director Sheenae Shannon Editor Roxanne Rash Graphic Design Advertising The AEA Advocate is published by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532. Phone: 602- 264-1774 or 800-352-5411 Fax: 602-240-6887. Email: sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org. AEA's website may be found at www.arizonaea.org. Permission to reprint any material originating with this publication is granted provided that credit is given to the AEA Advocate. The AEA Advocate (ISSN 0194-8849) is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer for $3.50 per year by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the AEA Advocate, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Moving? Please let us know before you go. Simply clip your mailing label from the back of the Advocate and send it along with your new address to: AEA Advocate 345 East Palm Lane Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532 - 9 Keep Fighting the Good Fight Continues on p. 5.

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