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The Legislative Newsletter of Professional Educators of Tennessee Vol. # 1 Issue # 1 February 2013 In this issue PECCA P.1 Beyond the Rhetoric P.2 Protecting Tennessee’s Schools P.2 New laws that can help P.3 What to look for in 2013 P.4 Welcome to the latest issue of PET’s Top of the Hill! Professional Educators Collaborative Conferencing 108th General Assembly of the State of Tennessee Act of 2011: Timeline: Professional Educators of Tennessee’s latest copy of their premier Oct 1 – Nov 1: Petition drive to garner signatures of 15% Tennessee legislative information newsletter is here for you to read of teachers to move forward and to share. As we are rapidly approaching the start of the 108th Special Question Committee General Assembly of the State of Tennessee with all the legislators formed – Ballot created – reporting in on Monday, the 28th of January 2013, we look forward to Voting conducted representing our membership professionally and effectively with an Training conducted – efficient and energized approach to potential legislation and in how collaborative conferencing conducted we interact with our elected and appointed officials. Important Note: We are “your” voice in the legislature. Let us know what you think Most aspects of PECCA apply about where we are and where we need to go. We will make your to all systems (TCA 49-5-604), not just those who voted to voices heard by those who represent us all in the great state of participate in it Tennessee the next time we go to the “Top of the Hill”. Protecting Tennessee’s Beyond the Rhetoric By Tim Brinegar Schools By Bill Gemmill One thing that distinguishes Professional By Tim Brinegar Professional Educators of Tennessee will ByEducators Tim Brinegar of Tennessee from other teacher neither endorse nor reject legislative organizations is our truly nonpartisan proposals concerning the arming of philosophy. PET does not spend any money teachers in schools. We argue that we do Senate Education Committee endorsing candidates or parties. We do not want the state to mandate educators understand that education is highly political Chair: Sen. Dolores Gresham having to carry arms or for that matter to 1st Vice-Chair: Sen. Reginald Tate and that is why we have a lobbyist who is 2nd Vice-Chair: Sen. Steven Dickerson prohibit them from carrying. It is a decision “your” voice at the state level. Committee Members: that should be made at the local level. Sen. Charlotte Burks Sen. Stacey Campfield We work very hard to ensure our members We believe that large urban districts are Sen. Rusty Crowe have access to resources and information likely to oppose, while rural areas will likely Sen. Todd Gardenhire Sen. Joey Hensley that will allow them to make decisions they support. One size fits all will not work. The Sen. Brian Kelsey feel will be best for their students, their subject is very emotional, with good schools, their communities and the arguments coming from all sides. We House Education Committee profession. If you take the time to anticipate that the legislature will pass a thoroughly check out our web site, Chair: Rep. Harry Brooks law that empowers individual school 1st Vice-Chair: Rep. John Forgetty www.proedtn.org, you will see just how districts to determine for themselves what Committee Members: much information we have made available , Rep. Kevin Brooks direction they want to take, including Rep. Jim Coley not only for our members, but for all who qualified, certified and licensed volunteer Rep. John DeBerry would like to be informed. Rep. Lois De Berry school personnel going armed in their Rep. Bill Dunn building. We plan to offer resources and Rep. Roger Kane When it comes to elections, at all levels of support to districts as they make their Rep. Ron Lollar government, instead of telling you who we Rep. Harold Love decisions, so that whatever that decision think you should vote for or who you should Rep. Debra Moody might be it will be implemented properly Rep. Joe Pitts support with your donations or time, we Rep. Dawn White and safely. encourage you to take the time and make Rep. Mark White Rep. Ryan Williams the effort to meticulously research all As Tennessee progresses into the future candidates before you press the button or with improved school security, we also pull the lever at your local polling station. If support posting additional guidance House Education Subcommittee you believe as I do that our right to vote is counselors in schools and advanced one of the most precious gifts given to us by training for all teachers that will help Chair: Rep. Mark White our founding fathers, then isn’t it our duty identify problem students before tragies Committee Members: Rep. Harry Brooks and responsibility to perform that task to once again occur. Any viable option that Rep. John DeBerry the best of our ability? can lead to a safer environment in our Rep. John Forgety Rep. Roger Kane schools and communities needs to be Rep. Harold Love The right to vote gives each of us an considered. All schools need upgraded Rep. Debra Moody opportunity to have a voice in what we feel Rep. Joe Pitts security, whether it is as simple and matters. Regardless of which party you Rep. Dawn White reasonable as inside locks on classroom favor, I hope that you chose to exercise this doors, or teachers going armed. The Speaker of the House right and vote on principle. Go beyond the Speaker Beth Harwell legislature’s actions and the decisions that rhetoric. Go out and research all of the the districts make will impact the lives of all Speaker of the Senate candidates and the issues and make an the inhabitants of school buildings across Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey informed decision, not an inflammatory the state. PET stands ready to help them do one. it right. “Off-season” Activities Have you ever wondered what a lobbyist does when there are no legislators on the hill to lobby? During the “off season” for a lobbyist, if you can call it that, we continue to maintain our ties with legislators and their staff as well as with the state offices, most importantly, the TN State Department of Education and Commissioner Huffman. He and his New laws that can help now… staff have been visited several times since the Speakers of the House and st During recent sessions up on the hill, several trips away from the school Senate declared “Sine Die” on May 1 . We are in contact with them bills have been passed into laws that property. Examples would include continually asking for clarification of Professional Educators of Tennessee has sporting events and field trips. This law current laws and inquiring about what influenced either directly or in-directly. has already been used to assist a they are considering to submit in the Once those bills became laws, part of our teacher in middle Tennessee. upcoming session. Once the session starts in January, there is a short job here at PET has been to “educate and Senate Bill 3640 / House Bill 2789 which window when all the bills must be inform” local school systems, their directors became Public Chapter 687 – sometimes submitted, so finding sponsors for bills and their school boards as to how those in both the Senate and the House called the “Bus Driver Bill”: This bill is very becomes a priority. Once sponsors for new additions to the Tennessee Code similar to the one above, but it additionally bills are secured, then, as “School Annotated could affect them. Two of these targets situations that may arise on a school House Rock” taught us back in the laws are listed here. bus with only the bus driver present. This 1970’s, it may be “Just a Bill”, but with a lot of work it really can become a law. law also includes a provision protecting a Senate Bill 3116 / House Bill 3241 which In one way or another, the bills we became Public Chapter 701 – school employee acting under the authority have worked on have been beneficial to our members and we are proud to say sometimes called the “Use of granted them via this law from facing civil action for damages. we had a part, no matter how great or Reasonable Force Bill”: This bill allows a how small, in seeing them signed into school employee to use “reasonable law. As this “regular season” is about Together, these two laws provide protection force” as it is defined within the to start, we are looking forward to the school employees didn’t necessarily have Tennessee Code to “relocate” a student “post season” and to racking up as before which allows them to do their jobs many victories as possible. Go PET! from an “unsafe” area to a safer knowing someone has their back covered. location. For example, if a student is “blocking” a doorway and no one can st enter or exit a room, that student is Your 1 Amendments rights as a teacher creating an “unsafe” and unacceptable Senate Bill 3060 / House Bill 3266 – Public Chapter 690 situation. A school employee can use “reasonable force” to “relocate” that This law is currently on the desk of a director of schools in middle Tennessee where the Freedom From Religion organization has targeted several teachers, coaches, and student to an area away from the school resource officers who have reportedly “bowed” their heads during student doorway. This law also allows school lead prayer. employees to intervene in a This new law, which went into effect just this past April, simply states that it is confrontation involving one or more permissible for school employees to participate in “student initiated” religious students (between students or between activities on school grounds at reasonable times before or after the instructional day students and school employees) and use so long as the activities are voluntary for all parties and do not conflict with the “reasonable force” to control the responsibilities or assignments of such personnel.

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