Now, More Than Ever, - Tennessee Education Association

TEA Builds BondsLawmakers Don’tUnderstandBy Nancy HollandThe politicians whohope to destroy theTennessee EducationAssociation don’tunderstand what TEAreally is.A few years ago, oneof my students was takeninto state custody andtransferred to anotherschool. I was concernedbecause this girl was agood kid. I didn’t want the circumstances of thisgirl’s life to diminish her potential. I contacted ateacher at the girl’s new school, Mrs. Gilliam, whomI knew through our mutual involvement in TEA.Mrs. Gilliam befriended this student, even thoughshe didn’t teach the grade the student was in. Thefollowing year, when this student was a high-schoolfreshman, she went back to visit Mrs. Gilliam.A few years after that, I learned that this studenthad graduated.My involvement“I didn’t want thecircumstances of thisgirl’s life to diminishher potential.”Nancy Hollandin TEA allowedme to help thisstudent in amanner I wouldn’thave been able todo otherwise.The bonds ofthe association extend beyond our professionallives. When I was flooded out of my house, I receivedsome grant money to help pay utility bills from afund established by TEA. When my father died, Ireceived a card from the TEA president and my localassociation vice president.There’s a reason why we call ourselves anassociation: We built relationships that sustain uspersonally as well as professionally, thereby enablingus to do our jobs well.These relationships won’t be destroyed by thestate legislature.Nancy Holland is a reading specialist at CameronMiddle School in Nashville and a member of MetroNashville EA.empower.No stone left unturned—TEA Vice President Barbara Gray (left), TEA board member and Robertson Co. EA memberLarry Proffitt, Dorcel Benson of Metro Nashville EA, Kim Holmes of Sumner Co. EA, Jennifer Eilender of OvertonCo. EA, and Garry Carroll of Hardeman Co. EA meet with Sen. Lamar Alexander’s staffer David Cleary regarding thereauthorization of No Child Left Behind, one of many national-level advocacy meetings held by TEA members.Tennessee’s Teachers Address Needs of Rural Schools,Other NCLB Concerns With Sen. Alexander’s StaffWhen Larry Proffitt talks about the Aprilmeeting with U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander’s staff,he says it’s not the intricacies of current politicaldiscourse that come to mind, but the lessonAlexander learned when he was Tennessee governor.Shortly after the six-member group of TEAmembers walked into Alexander’s Nashville officein late April to discuss the reauthorization of thenotorious No Child LeftBehind law, one of theteachers opened a coffeetablebook in the officewaiting area.“And there it was,Lamar’s admission that hisbiggest disappointment asTennessee Governor wasnot finding a better wayto work with the TEA,” said Proffitt, who teacheslanguage arts at Greenbrier Middle School inRobertson County.“I just found it interesting that in hindsight,politicians are willing to admit that collaborationwith teachers always works for the benefit of ourSen. Alexander: His biggestdisappointment as TennesseeGovernor was “not finding a betterway to work with the TennesseeEducation Association.”state and the nation,” Proffitt said. “Our voices areheard in Washington, DC. Perhaps some of our statelegislators should ask Sen. Alexander for advice.”Not surprisingly, Alexander’s staff sees eyeto-eyewith Tennessee’s teachers when it comesto defining federal government’s proper role withregard to education policy.Alexander’s staffer David Cleary said during themeeting that the Senatorsupports the movementaway from a punitiveaccountability model andtoward directed servicesto schools ranked in thelowest five percent ofachievement.TEA members stressedthe need for establishingcomplete wrap-around services for schools targetedfor low performance by any adopted yardstick,revisiting class size considerations for such schoolsand requested special attention to the unique needsof rural schools. NCLB reauthorization now appearsto be delayed until after the 2012 election.Former TEAPresident Electedto NEA Top PanelFacing unprecedented attackson their rights and profession,thousands of National EducationAssociation (NEA) members fromacross America elected Tennesseeteacher and former TEA presidentEarl Wiman to the NEA ExecutiveCommittee during the NEARepresentative Assembly (RA) inJuly. The nine-member executivecommittee is the governing bodythat oversees the 3.2 millionmembernational Association.“I am humbled to receive thisvote of confidence from my peers,”said Earl Wiman. “Every studentdeserves great public schools and Iam honored to work on behalf of anadvocacy organization like TEA andNEA that are responsible for makingthat vision a reality.”A former kindergarten teacher,principal and media specialist whocurrently works for MetropolitanNashville Public Schools, Wimanwill begin serving his three-yearterm on the Executive Committeethis July.“Now more than ever we needEarl’s voice and endless energy topush back against the coordinatedattacks on public education andworking families across America,”said NEA President Dennis VanRoekel. “I am confident he willdraw on his more than 30 years ofexperience as a classroom educatorand Association leader to continueto deliver on the promise of greatpublic schools for every student.”Nearly 9,000 educators fromevery state attended NEA’s AnnualMeeting and RepresentativeAssembly. The RA is the topdecision-making body for the 3.2million-member NEA. Delegates setAssociation policy and addressedissues facing schools, students andthe teaching profession.Early Enrollment Flyer:Layout 1 7/18/2011 3:36 PM Page 1 Member 10 August 2011 Special Membership Edition 11