DSEA Action!

Empowering ourselves to create change The Delaware Community Outreach volunteers spend a day at Atlanta's Habitat for Humanity working in their Restore. From left are Kelli Bradley, Linda Brown and Dave Bradley. Community Outreach takes place every year prior to the RA. NEA RA delegates pledge to "Raise Their Hand" to become leaders in a national movement for public education. All members can connect and find resources at gpsnetwork.org. NEA: It is time for us to transform public education - by Tim Walker, NEA Today Delegates to the 2013 Representative Assembly raise their hands for student success uring the 93rd NEA Representative Assembly and Annual Meeting held July 3 – 6 in Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center, one idea resonated above the rest: When it comes to leading a movement for student success that is real and sustainable, no one is more equipped than educators. "We must empower our members to create change," NEA President Dennis Van Roekel told some 9,000 delegates who attended the gathering. "Some [people] don't like the Association's focus on quality in the classroom and in schools," Van Roekel says. "But if we don't empower educators to take control of how to define quality, then who will? Congress? Governors? State politicians? Michelle Rhee? Maybe the Koch Brothers?" asked Van D Roekel referring to the billionaire businessmen whose money has helped to fund scores of recent antiworker efforts. "No," he continued. "It must be us!" Van Roekel's words embodied the energy and spirit of this year's RA gathering, which also included remarks from NEA Executive Director John Stocks, Teacher of the Year Jeff Charbonneau, and ESP of the Year Debbie Schulze, and focused on providing educators with new programs, professional training and support, and collaboration with other educators. To meet this goal, the Association has launched "Raise Your Hand for Public Education"—a campaign designed to help educators across the nation become leaders in a national movement for public education. Join the Great Public Schools Network at www. gpsnetwork.org An energetic and interactive kick-off for the campaign was held July 2, and included a host of 12 September 2013 DSEA ACTION! dynamic and respected educators— from the classroom and from the research community They engaged . the standing-room only crowd in a day of professional rejuvenation and educator empowerment. RA delegates displayed their commitment to "Raise Your Hand" by agreeing to increase annual membership dues by $3 per member— a move that will generate more than $6 million in funds specifically to provide Great Public Schools Grants (GPS Grants) to NEA state and local affiliates. Grants will support innovative projects and great ideas to boost student learning, such as successful implementation of Common Core Standards, school safety/anti-bullying programs training, and technology They will . be awarded using criteria from key elements of the Raise Your Hand campaign: successful students, accomplished professionals, dynamic collaboration, and empowered leaders. In his July 5 remarks, Teacher of the Year Jeff Charbonneau urged delegates to turn away from the relentless negative portrayals of public schools in the media and redefine the message. "Rather than succumb to the notion that we are failing, we must Sherry Abbott (left) and Cora Booth are two of the Indian River's five NEA delegates from Delaware. celebrate the quality education that we are providing while strengthening our resolve to further improve," Charbonneau says. "Despite what we read in the paper, students and teachers across the nation are achieving in countless ways. It is time for us to recognize that public education is succeeding." ESP of the Year Debbie Schulze delivered a similar empowering call-to action. "I think much of the public has a distorted picture of teachers, principals, and school support staff," Schulze says. "They've seen too many movies," the Maryland paraeducator joked, adding that educators can clear up common misperceptions about educators' daily workloads by becoming political activists. "This is why we need to raise our hands and our voices and educate them to the truth," says Schulze. "And for this to succeed, we need to step up and step out of our comfort zones and get politically active. Get in the game!" Delegates also honored two prominent champions of public education: Sen. Patty Murray (DWash.), who received the 2013 www.dsea.org

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