ewsletterDirector’s NEA is working to provide great public schools October 2015 NEA supports Clinton Primary endorsement gets approval from enough affiliates Education Secretary Duncan resigns— The NEA endorsed Hillary Clin- U.S. Secretary of Educa- ton in the Democratic primary on tion Arne Duncan announced Oct. 3 with 75 percent approval from Oct. 2 that he would leave the the board of directors and an 82 per- Obama Cabinet in December cent vote from the PAC Council. after nearly seven years in the Following over a month of dis- embattled position. The NEA cussions and two meetings with the expressed frustration with candidate, the board on Saturday Duncan for nearly his entire surpassed the 58 percent needed for tenure as secretary. The Repre- a primary endorsement with a vote sentative Assembly introduced of 118 in favor, 40 against, and eight resolutions criticizing Dun- abstentions. can’s waiver program—Race Two days earlier, the PAC Coun- to the Top—emphasized test- cil, which is made up of state affili- ing as a way ate presidents and the leaders of other of improv- internal groups, moved the endorse- ing schools. ment ahead with an even-larger vote. Items were Affiliates get votes based on the introduced amount they contributed the prior at every RA year to the NEA Fund for Children since 2010 and Public Education. Six affiliates and culmi- abstained from that weighted vote, nated with including two of the biggest, Califor- DUNCAN NEA photo nia and New Jersey. a resolution Hillary Clinton answers questions at a “town hall”-style meeting with NEA board Immediately after the vote, NEA calling for his resignation in members, presidents, and other leaders on Oct. 3 in Washington D.C. 2014. “The Department’s failed president Lily Eskelsen Garcia ad- education agenda focused on dressed the media. She gave credit more high-stakes testing, grad- Chronology of an NEA endorsement to the other two Democratic candi- dates who had participated in NEA’s ing and pitting public school candidates shown to the 8,000 Rep- Early Spring primary selection process, Sen. Ber- students against each other NEA questionnaire sent to all vi- resentative Assembly delegates in nie Sanders and former Gov. Mar- based on test scores,” read the able candidates who filed to run for Orlando. tin O’Malley. “We had three good resolution. Obama said deputy president as a Democrat, Republi- • Delegates pass NBI 79 requir- friends to choose from,” Garcia said. secretary John B. King Jr. will can, or third party. ing that NEA reach out to candi- “So when you interview them and fill in as the “acting secretary.” dates in all parties before consider- April-May you have to pick one, it’s hard.” ing a primary endorsement. Tennessee Directors Democrats Hillary Clinton, Mar- Garcia announced at the end of Kathy Meyer tin O’Malley, and Bernie Sanders August August that she was going to bring return questionnaires. No other candidates choose to [email protected] Clinton’s name forward for primary June fill out an NEA questionnaire or (605) 352-5448; (605) 353-7875 support. “I want to be inside that Clinton, O’Malley, Sanders do participate in the union’s process. White House and tell them what to Diccie Smith a one-hour, videotaped interview Late August do with testing and charter schools,” [email protected] with NEA president Lily Eskelsen President Garcia decides to (901) 482-0627; (901) 751-7193 she said. bring Clinton’s name forward for Garcia. Video posted on NEA web- Although all three candidates Tanya Thomas-Coats site for all members to view. consideration as a primary endorse- [email protected] scored very high on their voting re- July ment. (865) 637-7494; (865) 308-2787 cords on education issues, Garcia was • Excerpts of videos of all three See CHRONOLOGY, page 6 See CLINTON, page 6 Representing Tennessee in the nation’s capital Lobbying Voting Communicating NEA holds Q&A with candidate Clinton The following are excerpts of some of the 13 reformers who may mean well, but they are Gerri Franco, New Mexico questions that Hillary Clinton fielded during her totally disconnected from knowing teachers director. We only have a few min- “town hall” meeting with NEA leaders on Oct. 3 who know the names of the students in your Q: utes, sometimes to talk to members, in Washington D.C. class. And then there are the for-profit people sometimes two minutes or less. If you had two who don’t care whether it’s public or private minutes to make your case, what would you Judy Harris, Oregon interim direc- as long as they can make money on it. … I’m say? tor: If ESEA is not reauthorized by on the side of teachers. I want to look at what Q: this session of Congress, will you the research says works. I’m sick of people I have a lifetime of experience in guarantee the NEA members that you will work selling products and fads that make no differ- advocating for kids, working with with leaders in Congress to introduce legisla- ence in your work. I love the dashboard idea A: teachers, being a good partner to tion and that this legislation will be introduced that the NEA has proposed. … I want to have educators, going back to my days in Arkansas, within the first 100 days of your term? real information in real time that real teachers going through my time in the Senate. You and others can go to and see “does this work or don’t have to guess about where I am. You can Yes. doesn’t this work?” see where I have been and where I will be, A: and I’ve already said that I will not make any Gretchen Washington, Ohio di- Deanna Nicosia-Jones, New policies or important decisions about education rector and special education teacher. Jersey director. Will you make a without literally having teachers in the room Q: I sat with my special needs students Q: commitment to come back to D.C. and listening to the advice and the ideas that while they took 17 hours of testing … I don’t and if Lily gives you the date, see us at the you have to help me be a better president for want to sit with my children as they throw up, Representative Assembly this coming July? education. I think my record and my ideas are and I had to be a cheerleader … Just want to really far ahead of anybody else running in this know what you feel about this? Absolutely. I’ll be there. Give me campaign because it’s rooted in long-time ex- that date as soon as you can. But perience about what I have done. I think that’s I really believe that the amount of A: I want to say a quick word to the important because you can go back and talk to testing, the emphasis on testing, is fifth-grade teacher from New Jersey. Imagine your fellow members and tell them what I’ve A: really misguided, because I don’t teaching in a state where your governor says said here, but more than that, what I’ve done. think it produces the kind of learning that we’re he wants to punch you and the union that rep- I wrote a book, “It Takes a Village,” because I supposed to be trying to achieve. resents you. We have got to end this rhetoric, think you’ve got to have a community support- this insulting, this extraordinary hostility that ing the raising of children. There is nothing, as Reed Scott-Schwalbach, Oregon people in public life show. I obviously try to I said in the beginning, more important than the director. How will you work to the stand against it, mitigate against it, stop it, but family, other than the school. I know that, and I Q: best of your ability to overcome what on earth are they thinking? The first les- will stand up for it. Citizens United? son you learn at the beginning of kindergarten is how to get along with people. I think the Bob Hoffman, retired director Literally, the very first day of my NEA should be doing a report card: “Does not from South Dakota. The focus on campaign I said that was one of play well with others.” Q: standards has been lost in the recent A: my highest priorities. ... I will not appoint Supreme Court justices, because I do think we’ll get three appointments in the next presidency. … I will not appoint them unless they care more about securing a citizen’s right to vote than a corporation’s right to buy adver- tising. … If we cannot end Citizens United’s pernicious, corrupting effect on politics, I will lead the charge for a constitutional amendment to overturn it. Tripp Jeffers, North Carolina director. If you receive our endorse- Q: ment, what will you do to distance yourself, or even condemn the ideas of those neoliberal, corporate reformers who we believe are attacking public education possibly with the ultimate goal of privatizing it? Well, I agree with your diagnosis. … There are people who have the A: libertarian view that we need to end public education. They want to destroy public education. They want to destroy every public service. I think they are not only foolish, but NEA photo they are dangerous. Then there’s a group of Hillary Clinton poses with NEA leaders after her meeting at the NEA building on Oct.