Arizona Education Association

Spring 2013

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VOIC E YOU R V I E WS AEA Celebrating 120 Years and Why You Are an Association Member Because no one else has our backs in the legislature. Lynn Marble Gilbert EA member Because I believe in the power of the many over the power of the few. Samantha Blevins AEA General Counsel Because our children only get one chance at this and we must do our best. Unfortunately, without groups like NEA we have no strength to ensure our ability to provide the best education possible because education gets forgotten. John Eastin Phoenix Union CTA My mother, a public school teacher, insisted! Thanks, Mom. Kay Passmore AEA Retired member Strength in numbers! Terry Bagwell AEA Retired member Election Results I want to tell you that the teachers' union needs to reach out to all of our legislators. I am a registered Republican and am 100% committed to educating Arizona's children in every district. I will never support increased funding for Arizona schools until we have major restructuring of our system. I know first-hand the atrocious misuse of funds at the district level. We need to redistrict our schools according to our congressional districts to root out corruption, mandate state-wide curriculum, support distance learning initiatives that support our state curriculum by uniting our educational networks from K through university level. There are a lot of very innovative things happening around the world that would suit Arizona very well. Our present problem requires a 21st century, non-partisan solution. I would love to work collaboratively with all sides to craft new solutions for Arizona's children. I believe I speak the language of Republicans and can bring them to the table. Sarah Eary, Isaac District EA member When are we going to play hardball with these tools? Let's put the names and faces of antieducation legislators up on billboards across the state. Why should we let these lowlifes have a pass? Or are we going to be content with last place for another 20 years? From a teacher of twenty-four years who is also the son of a teacher of thirty-eight years. Rex Morrison, Paradise Valley EA member I have vetted Prop 204 and cannot, in good conscience, vote for it because it is not solely about education. I think we can do better and should do better. Prop 204 is tied too closely Spring.13advo.indd 5 to the construction industry and is being used by said industry to further it's [sic] own ends, not those of education. While I do not believe Prop 204 is the route to education funding in Arizona, I do fervently believe that it must be a higher priority for state legislators. I would be more supportive of initiatives that support candidates that support education, including a new state governor. Our state has a surplus of funds which Governor Brewer has purposely held from education so that she can manipulate our citizenry into passing an additional sales tax. The sales tax will be a burden on Arizonan's[sic]. When Arizona AEA supports another measure that is clearly and cleanly only about funding education I will be among its supporters. I appreciate the AEA and your hard work in behalf of educator's [sic] and education in general. Normagwen Smyth, Gilbert EA member I am afraid they will soon see the error of their ways at the expense of their children. Next time I hear someone complain about their child's school I intend to ask how they voted on this prop. Catherine Brookins, Cartwright EA member The reality is that lawmakers have been trying to balance the budget on the back of education for far too long and now the class sizes are so huge it will take an enormous amount of money just to undo the damage that "cost savings" has done over the years. Hopefully the newly elected legislators will have some sense and right the wrongs of those before them. Martha Bruneau, AEA Retired member MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK MEMBER TALK Write us! Readers are MEMBER encouraged to state opinions or make TALK comments in letters MEMBER that will be considered for publication TALK in this column. The MEMBER editor reserves the right to edit lengthy TALK letters representing aMEMBER balance of viewpoints. Generally, TALK letters will not be MEMBER published without the names of their TALK writers and local M EMBER associations. Send letters to: TALK "Member Talk," AEA MEMBER Advocate, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, TALK AZ 85004. Email: sheenae.shannon@ arizonaea.org. AEA Advocate x Spring 2013 5 1/29/13 10:53 AM

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