Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/124458
Find more photos at facebook.com/dseafan President Jenner announces formation of "Community Engagement Task Force" Dennis Van Roekel: "You are admired in the NEA world." NEA President: "DSEA has a good reputation, especially in the area of political action fund raising." ith humor and anecdotes – he has a great Joe Biden story – NEA President Dennis Van Roekel spoke to RA delegates about the unique role that our Association has, what he called an audacious role that comes from the NEA mission statement: that we will work to fulfill the promise of public education for every child in America. "Audacious? Yes, and that's who we are," he said. "There are people who agree with that vision, but disagree with us on how to get there. That's a good debate, because together we may be able to find ways to reach that goal that neither of us had thought of alone." He went on to describe the education landscape we live in, including those who would privatize and make money running public institutions. "How can this make any sense?" he demanded. "Where's the public good in privatizing prisons? Wouldn't it be in their best interest to see that every bed is full? That offenders who are released come back? That certainly is not in the public good." And in health care, the more people who are sick, the more money the private hospital owners will make. "What about education? The larger the class size, the less they'll need to spend on employees. This makes no sense!" He then cited a statistic from 1960 when ceo's made 42 times the salary of the average worker. "Today, they make 260 times what the average W www.dsea.org n her second speech to the DSEA Rep. Assembly, Jenner talked about the work of unions to build up their communities and be seen in their communities as a positive force. "Each member of the Leadership Team recognizes the value of reaching out beyond taking care of member basics. The team has been speaking about and seeking ways to create additional avenues for member engagement at both local and state levels—ways for DSEA members to make a difference where they work and where they live: in support of students and their families; for their schools and districts; as well as for their own neighborhoods, communities, and towns. I Van Roekel thinks every educator should have a mug that says: Those who can, work in education. All others find a less significant line of work. "I believe in us, despite all that is going on out there. I'm very optimistic because I know that you are dissatisfied with the way things are, dissatisfied enough so that you have to do something to change what's happening, for students and for yourselves." worker makes all year. No wonder they can make millions of dollars in contributions to PACs." Our national philosophy, he continued, used to be that we provide enough for all, not that some get what they need and others do not. We need to build the capacity of our state Associations to not only fight against these bad ideas, but also to advance our ideas. "If we don't talk about what our schools and students need, we'll only be treading water, fending off bad ideas. Are you satisfied where we are? I'm not." 30% of our kids without a high school diploma. Tell me where their American Dream is." He reminded us of the Association mantra, We Are One – in Unity, Strength and Action. "If you're not doing something," he reminded us, "it doesn't happen." "We must play offense, step out, and say 'Here's what we ought to do.' We need to be all about quality to combat privatization, and be the leaders of our profession. We have camp fires of great schools," he said, "but we need brush fires! Let's do more to share successes, network, connect good ideas, take the excellence of our members and spread it to others. There is no other organization that can do this." To hear this speech, go to www. dsea.org/AboutDSEA/DSEARA. html. As a thank-you for coming to speak at the Rep. Assembly, President Jenner gives Van Roekel a gift basket of Delaware-made items. He talked about how absurd it is that in the richest nation in world only 70% of kids graduate from high school. The percentage is much higher in Delaware. Only 3.9% of high school students dropped out between ninth and 12th grade in 2011-2012. Source: www. doe.k12.de.us/reports_data/ dropout/2012DropoutReport.pdf) "How dare we tolerate those results? Year after year, we send out Generous delegates increase their payroll deductions to the NEA and DSEA PACs or start payroll deduction contributions. From left are Jennifer Whitesell (CREA), Lynelle Hyland (Seaford), Cagney France (CHEA), Pam Ingram (Colonial Paras) and Luisa Rosignoli (Christina Paras), and Wendy Cannon (DSEA UniServ director). During lunch, President Jenner catches up with Brandywine's Sean Matthews. Also pictured are Mary O'Connell (left) and Janet Geiger. "On behalf of the DSEA Leadership Team, I am proud today to announce the establishment of a Community Engagement Task Force. The goal of task force members will be to help us identify, promote, organize and participate in suitable, community-based, nonpolitical action. "It takes a village to raise a child; it takes an entire school community to grow a student. It is time for DSEA and its members to reach back out to that village in ways that can make new and worthwhile differences." As with all DSEA Task Forces, the president will make appointments. March/April 2013 DSEA ACTION! 11