SLUG -- PAGE 1 CMYK ALABAMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ALABAMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Volume 131, NumBeR 9 • maRch 24, 2014 Fully fund PEEHIP and House members who TEACH and Future Training for Bell Read Across Alabama give 2% voted to raise your Teachers Grow Our Own Teams pictures featured Dr. Mabry explains options to PEEHIP costs Congratulations to Scottsboro Join in building strong local AEA members and students fully fund PEEHIP Find out how your local legislator High School Future Teachers of associations celebrate Read Across Alabama voted Alabama pg 2 pg 4 pg 6 pg 7 pg 9 The Final Insult Elsewhere in the KEEP UP THE PRESSURE! Journal, you will read in detail about the education Educator message resonates in Alabama State House budget and the resulting cut to your pay that it will cause if adopted. I Flawed education budget stalls in Legislature wanted to use this space to try and put Dr. Gregory T. this in context so Graves, Associate Executive Secretary After receiving thousands of you will see that this phone calls and emails, Alabama budget is just the final insult from the legislators finally seem to be legislative supermajority after four listening to educator concerns years of steady attacks on you, and the regarding fair treatment in the children that attend public schools in Alabama. 2015 Education Trust Fund (ETF) Budget. Even though Regardless of your political affiliation, Montgomery insiders predicted you need to be honest with yourselves. easy legislative passage, the From the moment they were elected, flawed budget stalled and was not the supermajority’s only aim has sent to Governor Bentley before been to break the back of those who the legislative spring break. support public education. You don’t have to take my word for it, just check After narrowly passing the the timeline of the last four years. Not Alabama House, the ETF content to wait for their first regular budget was sent to conference session, former Governor Bob Riley committee and emerged without called a special session, under the an educator pay raise or COLA, AEA retired members converge on the state house to ask legislators to include COLA false pretense of “ethics.” and PEEHIP funding in the Education Trust Fund Budget. partial funding of PEEHIP Their ethics proposals were to take and a $10 million cut to the away your right to have your dues Foundation Program. If enacted, deducted from your paycheck, to the budget currently under outlaw educators serving in the consideration in the Alabama legislature, and to make sure you Legislature would inflict a couldn’t receive Christmas gifts from $500 pay cut on every teacher, students, parents, or your employers. principal, support professional, Ironically, legislators can still get face superintendent and retiree. value tickets to BCS Championship Games that cost others hundreds or AEA members must continue to thousands of dollars, and they get to skip the waiting lists for season voice their concerns to House A capacity crowd meets at AEA Tuscaloosa legislators are pressed by a and Senate members while headquarters prior to visiting the Alabama fiery group of local members. tickets at Auburn and Alabama, but they are in their home districts State House. they knew that a gift card from an during the legislative break. Ask appreciative parent would corrupt them at the grocery store and you. Hypocrites! in Sunday School to represent Their first regular session brought you in Montgomery and not the death of the Teacher Tenure Act the Republican legislative leadership. Let them know your -continued on page 2, “Final Insult” family cannot afford a $500 pay cut. Remind them of how much larger your paycheck was in 2010 as compared to 2014. BudgetsShame are about on them! Governor Bentley has priorities. Whether stated he will veto it’s your personal any budget that does budget or the state’s not include a 2% budgets, we find a pay raise and fully way to pay for the fund PEEHIP. With things that are most only three legislative important. What we days remaining, AEA have learned this members are encouraged year is that a pay raise Rep. Craig Ford (D) to call his office at 334-242- for our educators Gadsden 7100 to remind him of his and retirees is not statement and to thank him for important to the leadership in the standing up for educators. Alabama Legislature. Just compare the budget proposed by Gov. Bentley with the budgets that are being considered in the state House and Senate. Gov. Bentley found a way AERA annual meeting scheduled for April 1, 2014 to not only provide educators with a 2 Over 750 delegates are expected com. Britt has been honored by the percent pay increase but also to fully to attend the Alabama Education Alabama Press Association for his fund health insurance for educators Retirees Association (AERA) business investigative reporting and will have and retirees. The Senators, on the meeting at the Cahaba Grand Center much inside information to impart. other hand, chose a conditional 1 in Birmingham on April 1. percent bonus, while in the House Lee Hedgepeth, from NEA’s Campaigns they have stripped the pay raise out Award-winning journalist Bill Britt will and Elections Unit, will be the Annual entirely and provided only a portion deliver the AERA keynote address. Luncheon’s guest speaker. He has worked of additional funding for health With over 20 years in publishing, news in 46 states as a political organizer, insurance. media, and investigative reporting, he trainer, and presenter. With 11 federal and his wife Susan have launched news election cycles, 12 school board races, The leadership in the state legislature organizations around the country, and and several ballot initiative campaigns says we do not have the money for a established one of the first Internet on his resume, Hedgepeth has a great raise. But the governor found a way news sites in New York City. In 2011, deal of election experience to share. to pay for it. And even if he hadn’t, they established Alabama’s first Internet- it’s just simply not true to say we don’t based news organizations, Alreporter. “The goal of these speakers is to have the money. The truth is that we motivate and inspire retired educators are choosing to spend the money on who will be assisting with AERA’s other things. Vision for Victory campaign,” said For example, the House version of AERA President Robert Davis. the education budget will spend During the Annual Luncheon over $900,000 for “private schools,” Foundation scholarship awards will be specifically at Lyman Ward and -continued on page 2, “AERA annual -continued on page 3, “Shame on meeting” them!” PAGE SLUG: PUBLICATION NAME, PAGE CMYK 2 ALABAMA SCHOOL JOURNAL | MARCH 24, 2014 Fully fund PEEHIP and give 2% ALABAMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Republican legislative leaders have bowed PEEHIP members in the everyone would be $500 per BoardBoard of DirectorsDirectors up and form of higher co-pays, have been determined to head for next year under the President provide no raise and no said no to higher premiums, and higher Marsh/Hubbard/Pittman/ Anita Gibson fully funded PEEHIP. Mike the House deductibles. The existing Poole Conference Report. Vice President Hubbard, Del Marsh, Trip and Senate PEEHIP staff told certain This will be while, thanks to Sheila Hocutt Remington Pittman, and Bill Poole have Republican Republican lawmakers they the Rolling Reserve Act, these Past President worked tirelessly for educators leadership. would raise copays on specialty people will have set aside Dorothy J. Strickland and retired educators to get It remains to drugs, high cost drugs, and $700 million to $900 million NEA Directors hit in the pocket. The Senate be seen what name brand drugs. Without in savings, at an average per Sherry Tucker and House passed budgets will happen, getting adequate funding teacher of $15,000 to $20,000. Dr. Susan C. Brown Dr. Henry C. Mabry, Charlene McCoy each of which would give but AEA has AEA Executive from the state, these are Again, the Republican Ashley Strickland a pay cut to all educators successfully Secretary the PEEHIP staff options: legislative leadership would Administrator President and education retirees. fended • Raise out-of-pocket cost Dr. Cathy McNeal off the $500 per employee like to cut teachers $500 for high cost generics Postsecondary Representative The conference report of the pay cut as of this writing. each while they would have Vacant two bodies that was in limbo • Higher co-pay for $15,000 to $20,000 set aside Thursday would mean $65 What Republican House and in savings per teacher. ESP Representative specialty drugs Carol Hiett million would have to be paid Senate members voting for Call the Governor and ACT President by employees/retirees. The the anti-education budget • Increasing doctor encourage him to hang tough. Bonita English Governor’s office said the have been saying is that visit co-pay Call your House and Senate AERA President average hit would be $450 whatever the Legislature does • Raised premium members and tell them to vote Robert Davis to $500 per employee under not fund will be addressed by the PEEHIP board. What for spouses no on any budget that does not SAEA President the conference report. Brooke Brock the intellectual dynamos do fully fund PEEHIP with zero • Increased premium Thankfully, Gov. Robert not know is that to balance more out-of-pocket costs and District 1 Directors for members Michelle Robinson Bentley, Senate Democrats, PEEHIP, the shortfall would that does not provide a two Pam Baker and many Republican Senators have to be passed on to All total, the average cost for percent increase in pay/COLA.