2011 april voice

April 2011 n The NSEA Voice n

The

VoiceThe Nebraska State Education Association April 2011

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n The NSEA Voice n April 2011

On the Cover:Nebraska’s Commission on Industrial Relations is getting a bad rap. It works for both sides, as Louisville Superintendent Ed Kasl and former negotiator Judy Roach attest. For more, turn to

Page 6.

the

VOICe Nebraska State Education Association

605 S. 14th Street, Suite 200Lincoln, NE 68508-2742 · www.nsea.org

(402) 475-7611 · (800) 742-0047

Volume 64, No. 8ISSN Number: 1085-0783USPS Number: 000-369

Executive Director Craig R. ChristiansenAssoc. Executive Director Neal ClayburnDirector of Public Affairs Karen KilgarinAssistant Comm. Director Al Koontz

NSEA BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident Jess Wolf, HartingtonVice President Nancy Fulton, Wilber-ClatoniaNEA Director Mark Shively, OmahaNEA Director Leann Widhalm, Norfolk

Official publication of the Nebraska State Education As-sociation, Suite 200, 605 South 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508-2742. Periodical postage paid at Lincoln, NE, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send address changes to NSEA Voice, Suite 200, 605 S. 14th Street, Lin-coln, NE 68508-2742.

Published 10 times yearly according to this schedule: September, October, November, December, January, Feb-ruary, March, April, May and August.

Payment of annual NSEA membership dues entitles Nebraska educators to receive The Voice. Total cost of producing 10 monthly issues of The Voice each year is about $4.84 per member.

Advertising rates of The Voice are available from the assistant communications director. All advertisements and advertisers are screened prior to publication. Ap-pearance of an advertisement in The Voice does not nec-essarily imply NSEA endorsement of either the product being advertised or the views being expressed.

Great Public Schools For Every Child

“Your job, your

benefits, your

due process

rights could be

gone tomorrow

if we are not

vigilant and

strong.

”

NSEA PresidentJess Wolf

The NEA Foundation Funds Educational

Psychology ProgramTwo Chadron educators – Wil-

liam Roweton of Chadron State Col-lege and Jerry Mack of Chadron High School – have received a $5,000 Stu-dent Achievement Grant from the NEA Foundation to train Educational Psychology students in observation.

Their students will place remotely controlled video and audio digital equipment in local elementary, middle and high school classrooms to practice analyzing what they experience. The students will then analyze observa-tional data, summarize results graphi-cally, and prepare for direct classroom observations. Participating public school students, their instructors, and CSC pre-service teachers will discuss video segments at the conclusion of each semester.

The NEA Foundation awards two primary categories of grants to pub-lic education professionals: Student Achievement Grants for initiatives to improve academic achievement, and Learning & Leadership Grants for high-quality professional develop-

ment activities. Nationwide, the NEA Foundation has awarded 50 grants to-taling $211,000 to support educators’ efforts to improve teaching and learn-ing. Since 1999, the NEA Foundation has funded 27 grants for Nebraska educators.

A team of 20 educators, many of whom are former grantees, carefully reviewed all applications and evalu-ated each one against a set of criteria. Funded grants were selected based on the quality of the proposed ideas and their potential for enhancing student achievement. The latest grants were awarded to educators in 33 different states.

The NEA Foundation has awarded more than $6 million in grants like these over the past decade to educa-tors in every state. Each year, the Foundation awards approximately 150 Student Achievement and Learn-ing & Leadership Grants.

The Foundation awards its grants to educators three times a year. Dead-lines for the next review periods are June 1 and Oct. 15. Descriptions of current and past recipients, online ap-plication forms, and an instructional video can be found at the web site at:

neafoundation.org

Inside this Issue:Helpful Information to Guide Your Plans

for Summer Session CourseworkIn a few short weeks, many of

NSEA’s nearly 28,000 members will leave their own classrooms to return to classrooms on college campuses across the state.

They return to class each summer for the summer coursework that be-gins in May and June. But how do those teachers select which course and which school might best meet their needs? They can start by re-viewing the advertisements placed by many of Nebraska’s colleges and universites on the pages of this issue.

The information in this spe-cial section should be of benefit to those looking to enhance their skills, knowledge and salary sched-

ule standing through added summer classroom work.

NSEA has solicited information for this special section, which in-cludes at least partial summer ses-sion class offerings from nearly a dozen colleges and universities. The information includes class schedules, program availability and location of class offerings, as well as informa-tion on how to contact the colleges and universities for more details.

All of the state’s colleges and uni-versities were invited to participate, and many of them have done so. Let your college or university of choice know that you read about their course offerings in The Voice!

Chadron EducatorsReceive $5,000 NEA Grant

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“Your job, your

benefits, your

due process

rights could be

gone tomorrow

if we are not

vigilant and

strong.

”

Be Ready

NSEA PresidentJess Wolf

Public employees are not the cause of the financial meltdown our country has faced the past two years.

That fact is so very important that it must be repeated: public employees had nothing to do with the financial crisis that hit the country in 2008.

Even so, public sector employees and the contracts we negotiate have been singled out as the villains that caused the economy to tank; caused deep state budget revenue shortfalls in nearly every state; and are at the root of the antagonistic political climate that exists in our country today.

A crisis always needs a ‘villain.’ The prob-lem is, some fingers are clearly pointing in the wrong direction.

I recall quite clearly that banks and oth-er financial institutions made thousands of questionable housing loans, and those loans ‘went south’ – the main reason for the finan-cial crisis we’ve battled for two years. That risk-taking led to the financial meltdown which caused the stock market to fall dramat-ically. That blow to the market, in turn, had an adverse affect on the employment status of the American workforce, and the resulting nationwide job loss reduced tax revenues col-lected by state and local governments.

Today, as a result, governmental entities at every level face sharply reduced revenues.

Rather Notorious The solution to the state budget problem

offered in Wisconsin and other states by newly elected governors and legislators is to simply attack public employees and their unions. These mean-spirited attacks call for the repeal of collective bargaining laws and severe curtailing of the benefits negotiated at bargaining tables by public employees and their elected governing boards.

We’re all willing to make sacrifices, and local association negotiators in Nebraska are known for reasonable bargaining that takes the local economy and local needs into con-sideration. Even so, we’re not immune to state budget cuts here in Nebraska.

State aid plans now before the Legislature could well return us to pre-2008 state aid amounts. Our state-managed pension will

likely require an additional contribution by education employees to keep the plan sound. Serious challenges to collective bargaining and the Commission of Industrial Relations are being discussed in the Legislature’s Busi-ness and Labor Committee.

The CIR debate is fueled by some rather no-torious national groups that have seized on the financial crisis they caused, or at the least, abet-ted. They use the crisis to attack public employ-ee unions as ‘unreasonable’ and government at all levels as ‘too big.’ These are the same groups that have been major campaign contributors to newly elected lawmakers who have proposed the legislative attacks. Further, as these wealthy players attack public sector unions, they seek to reduce their own tax burden.

Stand and ResistThis situation cannot be taken lightly.To a member, we must continue to fight for

reasonableness in government and in the laws our government makes. We need to be ready to stand with our fellow public employees across the country in resistance to these at-tacks, especially if the attacks grow in scope and intensity here in Nebraska.

As members, you would all be proud of the work we have done behind the scenes. To this point, the NSEA has continued to deal with matters in a sensible fashion, working with other education groups, meeting with legis-lative leaders, and communicating our con-cerns about proposed legislation to the gov-ernor and other policymakers. The debate has been reasoned, cordial and fruitful. At this writing, we believe we’re near consensus on meaningful change to the CIR.

We’ll continue to work, on your behalf, for sensible solutions to the problems that con-front us. But know that public schools as we now know them, are at risk. Your job, your benefits, your due process rights could be gone tomorrow, if we are not vigilant and strong.

Will you be there to defend public schools if the need arises? If the call goes out, will you be willing to put forth an effort similar to what your colleagues across the country have done?

My sincere hope is that we won’t need to ask. But our foes will not rest.

Be ready.

From the President

ment activities. Nationwide, the NEA Foundation has awarded 50 grants to-taling $211,000 to support educators’ efforts to improve teaching and learn-ing. Since 1999, the NEA Foundation has funded 27 grants for Nebraska educators.

A team of 20 educators, many of whom are former grantees, carefully reviewed all applications and evalu-ated each one against a set of criteria. Funded grants were selected based on the quality of the proposed ideas and their potential for enhancing student achievement. The latest grants were awarded to educators in 33 different states.

The NEA Foundation has awarded more than $6 million in grants like these over the past decade to educa-tors in every state. Each year, the Foundation awards approximately 150 Student Achievement and Learn-ing & Leadership Grants.

The Foundation awards its grants to educators three times a year. Dead-lines for the next review periods are June 1 and Oct. 15. Descriptions of current and past recipients, online ap-plication forms, and an instructional video can be found at the web site at:

neafoundation.org

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NSEA Will Aid Wisconsin AffiliateThe ongoing battle in Wisconsin over collec-

tive bargaining rights may seem like a distant ideological clash, but the reality is that it af-fects every NSEA member.

At the moment, collective bargain-ing is under attack in 49 of the 50 states – only South Dakota has yet to see anti-bargaining legislation introduced. In Nebraska, nine bills have been introduced that would affect collective bargain-ing, including one that would pro-hibit some public employees from engaging in collective bargaining.

The most embattled states, Wis-consin and Idaho, have asked neighbor-ing states to provide aid in the form of state education association staff. UniServ directors from Washington state and California are on the ground, working with NEA members in Idaho. Wisconsin has asked NSEA to consider sending two UniServ directors to that state for up to six weeks. NSEA will meet that request.

“There is a war on against collective bargain-ing, and our Association,” said NSEA President Jess Wolf. “It sounds trite, but it’s true: many, many brave souls have sacrificed a great deal for

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77 Percent of

Americans inter-viewed believe unionized state and municipal employees should have the same rights as those union members who work for private compa-nies (Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, March 2, 2011).

61Percent of

Americans strongly oppose laws taking away the collective bargaining power of public employ-ee unions (USA Today/Gallup Poll, Feb. 23, 2011).

60 Percent of

Americans op-pose weakening the bargaining rights of public employee unions (New York Times/CBS poll, Feb. 28, 2011.

‘Only a fool would try to deprive working men and working

women of their right to join the union of their

choice.’— Dwight D. Eisenhower

‘Those who would destroy or further limit the rights of organized

labor — those who cripple collective bargaining or prevent organization of the unorganized — do a

disservice to the cause of democracy.’

— John F. Kennedy

‘There is no America without labor, and to

fleece the one is to rob the other.’

— Abraham Lincoln

Why Wisconsin MattersNebraska Not Immune to Collective Bargaining Attacks

NSEA Will Aid Wisconsin AffiliateThe ongoing battle in Wisconsin over collec-

tive bargaining rights may seem like a distant ideological clash, but the reality is that it af-fects every NSEA member.

At the moment, collective bargain-ing is under attack in 49 of the 50 states – only South Dakota has yet to see anti-bargaining legislation introduced. In Nebraska, nine bills have been introduced that would affect collective bargain-ing, including one that would pro-hibit some public employees from engaging in collective bargaining.

The most embattled states, Wis-consin and Idaho, have asked neighbor-ing states to provide aid in the form of state education association staff. UniServ directors from Washington state and California are on the ground, working with NEA members in Idaho. Wisconsin has asked NSEA to consider sending two UniServ directors to that state for up to six weeks. NSEA will meet that request.

“There is a war on against collective bargain-ing, and our Association,” said NSEA President Jess Wolf. “It sounds trite, but it’s true: many, many brave souls have sacrificed a great deal for

the right to bargain. We need to defend that right when asked.”

NSEA Executive Director Craig R. Christian-sen said the request from Wisconsin will be filled

by volunteers from the ranks of NSEA’s UniServ and program staff.

“We will do as much as we can to help our colleagues in Wisconsin,” he said. “We may someday need their help in return.”

In the short term, helping in Wisconsin means that NSEA members calling for assistance from a UniServ director might get

help from someone other than their usual NSEA staff member.“Members might not get to talk to

the UniServ director they’re used to talk-ing to, or to the UniServ director they’ve worked with for the past 10 years,” said Christiansen. “But the services, as always, will be provided as quickly as possible, and with the quality that members have come to expect from the NSEA.”

In the long term, turning the tide in Wisconsin will help to protect rights in Nebraska and else-where; will enhance the economic recovery over the long haul, and enable the teaching profession to continue to attract bright, young candidates into the classroom.

Why is protection of your right to bargain col-lectively so important? Consider this scenario, common in Nebraska 40 years ago, before the Legislature gave educators the right to negotiate contracts:

A teacher takes a job teaching kindergarten with a school district, and is told what her annu-al salary will be. There is no contract, no salary schedule and no benefit package. Further, some teachers had one day of personal leave, others had two. And teachers with little or no experience – especially males – earned more than many others with significant experience.

Yes, that unjust scenario was the prevalent practice, up through the 1960s. But the instance above happened in a small Nebraska school in 2003 – not so long ago!

“Without a balance between labor and manage-ment that collective bargaining provides, salary is-sues quickly become political issues, not compen-sation fairness,” said NSEA President Jess Wolf.

Collective bargaining corrects salary inequities, provides for stable relationships between employ-ees and their employers, and allows the district to easily project personnel costs for coming years, among other benefits.

Why Protecting Your Rights is Important

‘These are the values inspiring those brave workers in Poland ... They remind us that where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost. They remind us that freedom is never more than one generation

away from extinction.’—Ronald Reagan,

Labor Day Address 1980.

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Blatant attacks on work-er’s rights in Wisconsin, Idaho and Tennessee have made national headlines. In Nebraska and other states, the attacks are more subtle.

But make no mistake, the nine bills now before the Nebraska Legislature could alter the face of col-lective bargaining for years to come. If unchallenged, these proposals would have drastic effects on the sala-ries, benefits and retirement of public employees, includ-ing educators and education support professionals.

At most risk in Nebraska is the more than 60-year-old Commission on Industrial Relations. The CIR is a five member set of judges, ap-pointed by the governor. It resolves bargaining disputes be-tween public employees and their local or state employers.

Split DecisionThe CIR follows a well-established, predictable, rule-of-

law process that results in decisions drawn from facts. In the rare instance that a K-12 school district or local association appeals to the CIR for relief (see box), sometimes management wins; sometimes labor wins. And sometimes, as in a case involving the Louisville Education Association, there is a split decision.

Starting in February 2006, the Louisville Education Association began negotiating with a Lincoln attorney hired to represent the school district in negotiations for the 2006-07 school year. LEA offered an NSEA-researched array of 10 area schools for sal-ary comparison purposes. Talks stalled, however, when the Lincoln attorney sought a cumbersome array of 16 schools – which included all 10 schools the LEA proposed.

Long-time Louisville Superintendent Ed Kasl — a regional Superintendent of the Year just last year — said contract talks nev-er boiled over.

“It just got to the point where we said ‘we can’t resolve this; let’s go to the CIR,’” he said. “Defining the array became difficult. The CIR helped us define our array.”

Judy Roach was LEA’s chief negotiator.“We’re a small school, a small communi-

ty, we’re friends with board members,” she said. “The CIR is a last resort. The last. We didn’t want to go there.”

But, as Kasl said: “What’s the alternative when our teachers walk out of the fifth negotiation session and say ‘they won’t budge. Now what?’ Or when the board walks out and says, ‘They’re not going to budge.’ We have to have something, and that something is the CIR.”

In Louisville, the CIR ad-hered to boundaries set by years of case law, and select-ed the 10-school array pro-posed by the LEA. But there were a couple of unexpected surprises, and a long-term benefit for both sides.

Unexpected Twist and a New RulePrior to Louisville, the CIR had ruled that in compensation

cases involving cash-in-lieu of health insurance benefits, the commission would conclude that each employee “would make an economically rational choice to accept the maximum fringe

benefits available.” Thus, when comparing Louisville’s salary schedule to that of other districts, the ‘maximum benefit’ standard would be used.

Louisville changed all that. Today, when an array school offers cash-in-lieu, the ‘Louisville Rule’ invokes one of four objec-tive considerations, depending on the cash amount offered at the school. As a result, the cash-in-lieu option must be sufficiently simi-lar (at least 50 percent) at an array school, or the CIR will use the cash-in-lieu offered at the school that has petitioned the CIR.

The new methodology resulted in a stan-dard which further promotes a final deter-mination of predictability, logic and fair-ness, and a more accurate comparison of the benefit offerings by school districts. What it meant in Louisville’s case was a move to the middle of the 10-school array in terms of sal-ary and benefits for the LEA; and a savings for the school district over what might have otherwise been ordered.

Because the CIR has become so predict-able, NSEA’s Research and Bargaining team predicted that a CIR ruling, using LEA’s 10-school array, would raise the Louisville base from $26,250 to $28,422, a hike of

Reviewing the facts: Former Louisville Education Association Negotiator Judy Roach reviews the Commission of Industrial Re-lations ruling with Louisville Superintendent Dr. Ed Kasl.

What’s the Tally?There have been remarkably few cases brought before the Nebras-ka Commission of Industrial Rela-tions in recent years – particularly considering the number of school districts that have bargained con-tracts with local education associa-tions. In fact, only about one-third of one percent of contracts bar-gained since the 2003-04 school year have ended up before the CIR.

School K-12 Dists. No. ofYear Bargaining K-12 CIR Statewide Cases

03-04 495 2 04-05 477 0 05-06 449 2 06-07 254 3 07-08 254 0 08-09 254 1 09-10 254 1 10-11 251 0 Total 2,688 9 (0.0033%)

Win-Win in the CIRLouisville Case Illustrates the Norm: Either Side Can Win

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$2,712, or 8.2 percent.But when the CIR unexpectedly re-

worked cash-in-lieu standards, it found Louisville was closer to the middle of the 10-school array than calculated us-ing the old standard. As a result, the CIR ordered a base salary of $27,540 – an increase of $1,290, or 4.9 percent.

So while the school district took home a win and substantial savings on the cash-in-lieu side, LEA members still earned a decent salary increase. In fact, the $1,290 base increase was just $10 less than a series of settlement propos-als made by the LEA a year earlier.

Admittedly, not every CIR case works to the benefit of both parties. Sometimes management wins; some-times labor wins; and sometimes both sides win – as Louisville discovered.

And, there was one other benefit: The district no longer hires a third party to handle negotiations.

Expensive AdviceThe third-party attorney-as-a-negoti-

ator effort used in 2007 was pricey: it cost the district more than $40,000.

Now, school board members and LEA members sit face-to-face, work together on a comparability study, and settle a contract each year without out-side influence.

“We’ve had the positive experience of sitting down and working on a comp study together,” said Kasl. “The CIR gave us the basics.”

Roach agreed. “Since the decision

in 2007, both sides now use the CIR-defined array. As Mr. Kasl said, rep-resentatives from both the LEA and the board of education sit together and do a comparability study. It’s wonder-ful!”

So don’t look for Louisville to return to the CIR soon.

“Maybe it’s the fear of the CIR,” said Kasl. “It’s a better idea to try to resolve the issue.”

Roach doesn’t believe any local as-sociation wants to go to the CIR.

“When we went to CIR, we knew that their decision was final. We knew that we could win some things, but we could also lose some things. Everything in our Negotiated Agreement was open. That’s a very serious matter when you consider all of your members who could be affected,” she said.

“It’s reassuring to know that the CIR is there to help when negotiations get stuck and there is no way to get things settled. It’s just not something you set out to do at the first meeting.”

In today’s political environment, outcry by opinion leaders and public officials – most of it clearly manufactured for political gain – al-leges that CIR rulings favor public employees over management; that those rulings ‘tie the hands’ of public officials, ratcheting up employee salaries as those officials try to make budgeting decisions; that going to the CIR is too costly for local governmental subdivi-sions; and that the CIR does not consider ability of local and state subdivisions to pay for the contract settle-ments that it orders – never mind the fact that those orders can be appealed.

But for each of those arguments, there is an oppos-ing point, backed more by fact than rhetoric. For in-stance, teacher salaries have hardly been ‘ratcheted up,’ given that the average teacher salary in Nebraska is 43rd in the nation and ranks behind every neighboring state but South Dakota.

“The effect of the CIR in ratcheting up salaries in Nebraska is nil, a myth,” said NSEA Executive Director Craig R. Christiansen. “It would happen if we had a lot of people who went to the CIR (to resolve bargaining impasse), but that doesn’t happen.”

Why so few cases? The rules and standards set by the CIR, par-ticularly in cases over the past 40 years, are predictable and fair – and helpful to local associations and school boards as they negotiate.

“The CIR gives structure to negotiations,” said Larry Scherer, NSEA’s director of Bargaining and Research. “Locals use the CIR

mechanisms without actually going to the CIR.”Further, neither Louisville Superintendent Ed Kasl nor NSEA’s

veteran crew of UniServ directors, could recall a CIR order that hog-tied a school district budget so tightly that Reduction-in-Force no-tices were handed down the following year.

And there’s another benefit: “The CIR keeps ne-gotiators – on both sides of the table – at the table,” said NSEA President Jess Wolf. “It keeps them bar-gaining in good faith.”

The CIR allows for the peaceful resolution of bargaining disputes. As one analyst suggested, “if you cut the CIR, or leave bargaining in a place where it’s completely unfair, people will walk out, as they’re doing in Wisconsin.”

Just as onerous: placing the CIR in an advisory capacity only, and leaving the final decision on a con-

tract dispute to an elected board or officials as some – even some with legal backgrounds! – have suggested. Such a move would yank the rule of law from the process and replace it with political consid-erations.

Finally, any business that hopes to attract and keep the best em-ployees must pay competitive wages. Without good employees – any company’s most valuable asset – a business will lose its competitive advantage.

And that’s something that Nebraska just can’t afford to lose.

“The CIR keeps negotiators — on both sides of the table — at the table.”

— Jess Wolf,NSEA President

CIR Fosters ‘Good-Faith Bargaining’

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mechanisms without actually going to the CIR.”Further, neither Louisville Superintendent Ed Kasl nor NSEA’s

veteran crew of UniServ directors, could recall a CIR order that hog-tied a school district budget so tightly that Reduction-in-Force no-tices were handed down the following year.

And there’s another benefit: “The CIR keeps ne-gotiators – on both sides of the table – at the table,” said NSEA President Jess Wolf. “It keeps them bar-gaining in good faith.”

The CIR allows for the peaceful resolution of bargaining disputes. As one analyst suggested, “if you cut the CIR, or leave bargaining in a place where it’s completely unfair, people will walk out, as they’re doing in Wisconsin.”

Just as onerous: placing the CIR in an advisory capacity only, and leaving the final decision on a con-

tract dispute to an elected board or officials as some – even some with legal backgrounds! – have suggested. Such a move would yank the rule of law from the process and replace it with political consid-erations.

Finally, any business that hopes to attract and keep the best em-ployees must pay competitive wages. Without good employees – any company’s most valuable asset – a business will lose its competitive advantage.

And that’s something that Nebraska just can’t afford to lose.

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Spice Up Your Lifewith Mike!

Experience,Enthusiasm,and Desire!

Vote Michael Schawangfor NEA Director

Gifts Help Children’s

FundBottom Line BolsteredBy Gifts From Locals,

IndividualsThe NSEA Children’s Fund is called

upon nearly every day to help children in dire situations.

For instance, in the past two months, the Fund has assisted children from three different Nebraska families who have lost their home to fire.

Now, NSEA members have begun to respond to the dire situation that faces the Children’s Fund. The

recent economic downturn has put great pressure on the fund; at one point earlier this year, requests for funding were arriv-ing so rapidly that it was feared the fund might run dry by the end of the year.

Since the call went out in Janu-ary alerting members to the Children’s Fund’s dwindling resources, members have responded with contributions of more than $11,000.

Still, the Fund is on shaky ground.“We’re in better shape than we were

two months ago, but we’ve got a long way to go,” said NSEA Comptroller Sheri Jablonski.

Teachers often use their own pocket-book to pay for the needs of a child in their classroom. The Children’s Fund was founded in 1994 to assist those stu-dents. Typically, all that is needed is a phone call to the NSEA from a member. With the need detailed – new eye glasses, a new winter coat, or the like – funding is taken care of without need for red tape, forms or further calls. And every penny donated to the Children’s Fund benefits a child; NSEA absorbs all overhead costs.

One NSEA member wrote this: “As a K-8 counselor, I have used the Fund, and I know it to be a very useful resource for our members and our students.”

If a child in your classroom is in need, contact NSEA’s Sally Bodtke. Usually all that is needed is one phone call. She can be reached at 1-800-742-0047, or at:

[email protected]

Locals, Individuals Boost Children’s Fund HealthOver the past several years, annual expenditures by the NSEA Children’s Fund have topped

$40,000. So it was gratifying to see more than $11,000 in gifts arrive over the past six weeks:n$2,935 from the Bellevue Education Association, or $5 for every member.n$540 from the Elkhorn Ridge Middle School staff in Elkhorn.n$200 from the Imperial Education Association. “We proudly contribute $200 from

the Imperial Education Association,” read the note that came with the check. “Thank you for all you do for the children of Nebraska.”n$1,150 from the Waverly Education Association. n$25 from the activities fund at the Mullen Public Schools.n$150 from the Shickley Education Association.n$200 from the Schuyler Education Association.n$250 from the Kearney Education Association.n$240 from the Exeter-Milligan Education Association.n$100 from the Harvard Education Association.n$1,000 from the South Sioux City Education Association.n$1,357 from the Fremont Education Association.n$120 from the Palmyra Education Association.n$1,683 from the Grand Island Education Association, after a Denim Day.n$100 from the West Holt Education Association. “Thank you for reminding us of

the Children’s Fund and how important it is to the children of our state,” read the note that came from WHEA.n$130 from the staff at Bellevue’s Twin Ridge Elementary School.n$26, a $1 donation from each Seward Education Association member at a recent

meeting.nIn addition, individual teachers and NSEA staff members have given gifts ranging from

$20 to $100 and totaling more than $1,000.

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“We love our public schools and we know you do, too.”

That’s the opening line of the ‘About Us’ fact sheet on the newly minted ‘Nebraska Loves Our Public Schools’ cam-paign, hosted by Susie Buffett’s Sherwood Foun-dation.

The campaign hopes to tell how Nebraska’s public schools “are using innovative programs and practices to effect change.”

The mission of the Sherwood Foun-dation is to promote equity through social justice initiatives enhancing the quality of life in Nebraska. The cam-paign itself is designed to instill pride in Nebraska public schools among

various constituents, from parents to lawmakers to taxpayers and beyond.

“Education is a vital tool for clos-ing the socio-economic gap, giving

children the leg up they need to succeed in the world,” according to the campaign web site. “We believe that Nebraska

state residents have a lot to be proud of. And although we know that when it comes to education, there is always room for growth, we can all be proud of the myriad success stories coming

from Omaha to Ogallala.”Thus far, the campaign has filmed

or is filming stories about innovative public school programming in Arnold, Omaha, Scottsbluff, Hastings (Adams Central), O’Neill and Newman Grove. The stories have been posted, or will be posted, to this web site:

http://nelovesps.org/And the campaign is seeking more

public school stories. If you have a story, go to the web site or email your story idea to:

[email protected]

Brennan InstituteConference Ideal forMembers, LeadersSix CEU Hours OfferedThose interested in expanding the

boundaries of democracy should con-sider this event on Saturday, April 9: the 12th Promoting the General Welfare Conference, sponsored by the Univer-sity of Nebraska at Omaha’s William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies.

The event is ideal for union members and their leaders, members and leaders of community and faith-based organiza-tions, faculty and students.

The session will include a talk on Or-ganized Labor’s Contributions to Eco-nomic and Social Justice, by AFL-CIO’s Liz Shuler. In addition, three workshops will repeat during the conference:nUnderstanding Taxation and its

Contribution to Our Nation’s Common-wealth, by Rebecca Thiess, of the Eco-nomic Policy Institute.nRetirement: How This Important

Component of the American Dream has Changed Over the Last 30 Years, by Ken Kriz, UNO’s School of Public Ad-ministration.nTies Between Union Density and

National Happiness, by Benjamin Rad-cliff, University of Notre Dame, and Al-exander C. Pacek, Texas A&M.

Attendees can receive up to six hours of social work continuing education units. There is a cost: $35 for students; $45 for general admission. To register, call the Institute at 402-595-2344.

Campaign Touts State’s Public SchoolsLocals, Individuals Boost Children’s Fund HealthOver the past several years, annual expenditures by the NSEA Children’s Fund have topped

$40,000. So it was gratifying to see more than $11,000 in gifts arrive over the past six weeks:n$2,935 from the Bellevue Education Association, or $5 for every member.n$540 from the Elkhorn Ridge Middle School staff in Elkhorn.n$200 from the Imperial Education Association. “We proudly contribute $200 from

the Imperial Education Association,” read the note that came with the check. “Thank you for all you do for the children of Nebraska.”n$1,150 from the Waverly Education Association. n$25 from the activities fund at the Mullen Public Schools.n$150 from the Shickley Education Association.n$200 from the Schuyler Education Association.n$250 from the Kearney Education Association.n$240 from the Exeter-Milligan Education Association.n$100 from the Harvard Education Association.n$1,000 from the South Sioux City Education Association.n$1,357 from the Fremont Education Association.n$120 from the Palmyra Education Association.n$1,683 from the Grand Island Education Association, after a Denim Day.n$100 from the West Holt Education Association. “Thank you for reminding us of

the Children’s Fund and how important it is to the children of our state,” read the note that came from WHEA.n$130 from the staff at Bellevue’s Twin Ridge Elementary School.n$26, a $1 donation from each Seward Education Association member at a recent

meeting.nIn addition, individual teachers and NSEA staff members have given gifts ranging from

$20 to $100 and totaling more than $1,000.

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Delegate Assembly Hits 150!

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Meeting Has Been Called 150 TimesSince Association’s Founding in 1867

When NSEA’s an-nual meeting con-venes on the outskirts of Omaha on April 15, it will be a landmark moment: the 150th Delegate Assembly of the Association.

The Assembly will be significant for other reasons as well. By the time the gavel comes down on April 16, there will be new faces on three, and possibly all four, of the Association’s Execu-tive Committee posts.

NSEA President Jess Wolf, Hartington, will preside over his final Delegate Assembly. Also ending terms of service will be Vice President Nancy Fulton, Wilber-Clatonia, and NEA Director Mark Shively, Omaha. And, depending on the outcome of elections to fill those slots, Norfolk teacher Leann Widhalm’s seat on the NEA Board of Directors may also be open.

In addition to elections to fill those vacancies, NSEA members will have plenty of other business to handle. Six changes to the NSEA Bylaws have been filed (see pages 18-19); a dues proposal for 2011-12 has been properly forward-ed for consideration; and several New Business Items have been forwarded for consideration by delegates.

The Bylaws are NSEA’s governing documents; a New Business Item calls for a specific action by the Association.

NEA Representative to AttendSince it was founded in 1867 — just five months after

Nebraska gained statehood — members have met nearly every year since. In some years, the Association held two Delegate Assemblies; the regular meeting to deal with elec-tions, Bylaws and mostly routine matters. In other instances, when the call was needed, delegates returned for a second meeting. For instance, a second Delegate Assembly in 1978 was held to adopt strategies in support of Proposition 300, which would have increased state aid, and in opposition to Initiative 302, which would have placed a 5 percent lid on school budgets.

And, in other years, there were no annual meetings. In 1918, on the orders of the Department of Health and in the face of the Spanish Flu Epidemic, the meeting was can-celled.

On the agenda for Friday eve-ning will be NEA Secretary-Trea-surer Becky Pringle, a physical science teacher from Harrisburg, PA. Pringle has taught for 31 years,

and was elected to her current post in 2008.

Bylaws ProposalsAs noted, there are six proposed

changes to the NSEA Bylaws.Delegates will also consider a

$10, one-time special assessment to be used to fight ballot initiatives that would harm public school education.

The more than 300 NSEA mem-bers, elected to represent their col-leagues, will consider those issues and more during the meeting at the Omaha-LaVista Embassy Suites Convention Center, which opens on Friday, April 15, and closes on Saturday, April 16.

Delegate Assembly Hits 150!

Pringle

April 2011 n The NSEA Voice n Page 15

On These Pages:The 2011 Delegate Assembly schedule, as well

as proposed changes to the NSEA Bylaws and the proposed dues for the 2011-12 Association year.

Online:All NSEA committee reports and proposed

Delegate Assembly Standing Rules have been posted to the NSEA Web site. Find them at:

www.nsea.org

Lively, indeed! This year’s Delegate Assembly marks the 150th in Association history. This photo appeared in The Voice following the 1991 Assembly, and was captioned as ‘a lively promotional parade for the upcoming Summer Leadership Conference in Chadron.’

Wolf

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Order of Business: Delegate Assembly 2011Embassy Suites Omaha-LaVista Hotel and Conference Center

Jess Wolf, President, PresidingRegistration: Embassy Suites Omaha-LaVista Hotel and Conference Center, Beginning at 5 p.m.Pre-Assembly Activity: Viewing and bidding on gift baskets for NSEA Children’s Fund, Beginning at 5 p.m.

Friday, April 15, 2011 t 7 p.m.Call to Order: NSEA President Jess Wolf, HartingtonPledge of Allegiance: SEAN President Kyle Rotert, University of Nebraska at KearneyNational Anthem: Assembly DelegatesFirst Report of Credentials CommitteeAdoption of Standing/Procedural Rules: Doyle Anderson, HartingtonAdoption of Order of Business: Sarah Brown, Wilber-Clatonia Report of the Auditing CommitteeNominations for NSEA President, Vice President and NEA Director (all three year terms)Remarks from Candidates for Office (5 minute limit)Report of the Bylaws Committee: NEA Director Leann Widhalm, Norfolk, Bylaws Committee ChairDebate on Proposed Bylaws (Voting to take place Saturday from 7 a.m. until 8 a.m.)Dues Proposal for 2011-12: NSEA Vice President Nancy Fulton, Wilber-Clatonia, Chair, Budget CommitteeAddress to Delegates: NEA Secretary-Treasurer Becky PringleFirst Report of Resolutions Committee: Co-Chairs Daniel Ross, Lincoln, and Tracia Blom, S. Sioux City, Nebraska representatives on NEA’s Resolutions Committee; and Becky Torrens, Elkhorn, member of NEA’s Internal Editing Committee of the NEA Resolutions CommitteeSubmission of Additional New Resolutions and/or Amendments to Continuing ResolutionsBegin Action on New Business ItemsSubmission of Additional New Business ItemsReports from NSEA Program Directors (as time permits during the Assembly)Announcements and RecessThese activities will take place immediately following the close of the First Session: tNEA and NSEA Resolutions Hearing, Fedora I Room. tNSEA Budget Hearing, Fedora II Room. tNSEA Children’s Fund Silent Auction, Hosted by the Omaha Education Association.Horace Mann Reception: Windsor Ballroom VII-X

Saturday, April 16, 2011 t 8:30 a.m.Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.Final Report of Credentials CommitteeSubmission of Additional New Business Items (By 10 a.m.)Submission of Additional New Resolutions and/or Amendments to Continuing Resolutions (By 10 a.m.)NSEA Awards ProgramElection Committee Report (When available)Voting and Nominations (As necessary)Action on New Business ItemsReports to the Assembly: NSEA CommitteesReport of the Executive Director: Craig R. ChristiansenReport on the NEA Commission on Effective Teachings and Teaching: Maddie Fennell, Omaha, ChairFinal Report of Resolutions Committee: Daniel Ross, Tracia Blom and Becky TorrensAction on ResolutionsAddress to the Delegates and Members by the President: Jess Wolf, HartingtonAction on the Dues Proposal for 2010-11Lunch (Served at Noon, or at Adjournment, whichever occurs first)Adjournment

Parliamentarian: Dr. Jon Ericson, Drake UniversityFriday evening break service provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska;

Saturday Morning Break Service Provided by NSEA.

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April 2011 n The NSEA Voice n April 2011 n The NSEA Voice n Page 17

2011-12 NSEA Dues RecommendationDues for Certificated Staff

The NSEA Board of Directors has recommended the following annual fee structure for Association membership by certificated staff. Delegates to the NSEA Delegate Assembly on April 16-17 will consider and act on these proposals. For the 2011-12 Association year, the NSEA Board of Directors recommends the dues for these certificated classes of NSEA membership be as follows:

Active: $362 Half-time Active: $181 Active Substitute: $362 Non-Active Sub: $90.50

This proposed 1.4 percent increase of $5 will fund the regular NSEA budget for 2011-12. The Delegate Assembly will also consider a one-time Special Assessment of up to, but no more than, $10, to be used for ballot initiatives only. All amounts listed are for state dues only. NEA dues for 2011-12 have been proposed at no more than $168, a $2 increase. However, NEA is also considering a ballot initiative Special Assessment of up to $10.

The 2011-12 dues amount for a full-time, active member of NSEA includes a voluntary contribution of $15 to NSEA’s Political Action Fund. The dues amount for a half-time active member and an active substitute member includes a voluntary contribution of $7.50 to NSEA’s Political Action Fund. This contribution is refundable upon receipt of a written, individually-composed request. A reminder of the opportunity to seek a refund is published in the January issue of the NSEA Voice. Address refund requests to NSEA PAC Refund, in care of NSEA President, 605 S. 14th St., Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68508.

Dues for Educational Support ProfessionalsDelegates to the 2001 Delegate Assembly approved a separate dues structure for Educational Support Professionals (ESP).

That action created four levels of dues for ESP members, and the NSEA Board of Directors modified the ESP dues structure to a six-tiered structure. The ESP dues structure is motivated by an effort to establish equity between the wide range of ESP salaries, while taking into consideration the fact that beginning teachers or teachers in lower-paid school districts are still paying full NSEA dues. In this model, the ESP member’s total base salary, regardless of the hours or number of days worked, establishes the state dues for that member. The percentages are based on the lowest starting teacher salary in the state, which was $26,500 in 2010-11.

ESP Dues Tier NSEA DuesActive ESP (salary of $26,500 or more) .................... $362.00 (100 percent of teacher dues)Active ESP ($21,200 to $26,499) .............................. $325.80 (90 percent of teacher dues)Active ESP ($15,900 to $21,199) .............................. $253.40 (70 percent of teacher dues)Active ESP ($10,600 to $15,899) ............................. $181.00 (50 percent of teacher dues)Active ESP ($5,300 to $10,599) ............................... $108.60 (30 percent of teacher dues)Active ESP ($5,299 or less) ...................................... $36.20 (10 percent of teacher dues)

2011-12 Dues ComparisonMembership dues for the Nebraska State Education Association rank fifth among 13 Midwest and Western states included

in an NSEA staff negotiations comparability array. State 09-10 10-11 Proposed Wyoming ........... $490 $504 $508 Iowa .................. $506 $454 $466 Minnesota ......... $397 $405 $405 Colorado ........... $370 $376 NA Kansas .............. $358 $362 $366 Nebraska ......... $350 $357 $362 ($372*) South Dakota .... $328 $350 $360 Missouri ............ $341 $341 $351 New Mexico ...... $338 $338 $NA Utah .................. $334 $330 $330 Arizona ............. $325 $315 $317 North Dakota .... $299 $301 $313 Texas ................ $282 $290 $NA AVERAGE .............$355.25 $363.83 $379.56 *If special assessment passes (See second paragraph, above).

NSEA Dues HistoryBudget NSEA Percent Year Dues Increase2011-12 $362 1.402010-11 $357 2.002009-10 $350 2.302008-09 $342 4.262007-08 $328 6.492006-07 $308 4.052005-06 $296 4.962004-05 $282 5.222003-04 $268 4.282002-03 $257 4.892001-02 $245 2.942000-01 $238 2.141999-00 $233 2.641998-99 $227 2.711997-98 $221 2.791996-97 $215 2.871995-96 $209 3.98

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n The NSEA Voice n April 2011Page 18 n The NSEA Voice n April 2011

Proposed NSEA Bylaws RevisionsThese proposed changes to NSEA’s Bylaws will be consid-

ered during the annual meeting of the Delegate Assembly at the LaVista Embassy Suites on April 15-16.

Proposed Bylaws Amendment 1

nArticle I: MembershipSection 7: Adherence to the NEA Code of Ethics adopted

by the Association shall be a condition of membership.

Rationale: Questions have been raised about which Code of Ethics Article I, Section 7 refers to. There are at least two: the NEA Code and the State of Nebraska Code. This clarifies which is being referenced. Bylaws Amendment 1 is proposed by the Bylaws Committee of the NSEA Board of Directors, and is supported by the NSEA Board of Directors.


nArticle III: Board of DirectorsSection 2: The District Presidents, the President

of NSEA Retired, an Education Support Profession-al representative, the President of the Student Educa-tion Association of Nebraska (SEAN), and the Chair of the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee (EMAC), and NSEA members who are elected at the National Ed-ucation Association level to be members of the NEA Board of Directors, shall be invited to attend all meetings of the Board of Directors each year as ex-officio members without the right to vote. In the absence of any Board member the District Presi-dent may assume the seat of an absent director from the same district with voting privileges. NEA Board members who are ex-officio members of the NSEA Board shall have all expenses paid for by the NEA. NSEA members who are elected at the National Education Association level to be members of the NEA Board of Directors shall be invited to attend meetings of the NSEA Board as ex-officio members without the right to vote. NEA budgeted funds must be utilized for expenses.

Rationale: A few years ago this section of the Bylaws was expanded to allow for members elected to the NEA Board of Directors at Representative Assembly to attend meetings of the NSEA Board of Directors. NEA policy at the time was to fund these NEA Board members to attend various meetings around the country, including meetings of their own state Board of Directors. That policy is being changed by the NEA, which resulted in this Bylaw. These members would still be invited to attend NSEA board meetings as non-voting members, but would need to decide whether they want to attend if NEA does not, in the future, fund their attendance. They could self-fund their attendance or rely on other sources for the funding. By-laws Amendment 3 is proposed by the Bylaws Committee of the NSEA Board of Directors, and is supported by the NSEA Board of Directors.


nArticle III: Board of DirectorsSection 10: The Board of Directors shall have power au-

thority to charter local education associations. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to suspend, revoke, or reinstate the charter of an association.

Rationale: The NSEA Board of Directors has the authority to charter local associations and practice has been that the board also has the authority to suspend, revoke or reinstate local as-sociation charters. This amendment would make that authority clear. Bylaws Amendment Three is proposed by the Bylaws Committee of the NSEA Board of Directors, and is supported by the NSEA Board of Directors.


nArticle I: MembershipSection 10: The rights to vote and to hold elective office or

appointive position shall be limited to Active members except as otherwise provided.

Rationale: This article is grammatically incor-rect and an “s” is added to correct the error. The Bylaws Committee of the NSEA Board of Direc-tors has the authority to make such changes. The

substantive change is the deletion of the last four words, which the committee felt were not clear or

necessary. Bylaws Amendment 4 is proposed by the Bylaws Committee of the NSEA Board of Directors, and

is supported by the NSEA Board of Directors.


nArticle III: Board of DirectorsSection 1: The Board of Directors shall consist of the

President; the Vice President; the National Education Asso-ciation Directors for Nebraska; and representatives of each District Association. The Board shall be apportioned on the basis of one person-one vote. Each District Association shall be entitled to at least one member on the Board of Directors. Each District Association member of the Board must repre-sent the same number of constituents (with variation not to exceed plus or minus 10 percent). If the NSEA Board of Di-rectors is not composed of voting Ethnic Minority represen-tatives in proportion to the Ethnic Minority representation within the membership of the Association, the membership shall elect Ethnic Minority members-at large to guarantee such representation. The representation ratio of Board mem-bers to constituents shall be determined by the NSEA Board of Directors.

Rationale: There are critical issues in education for mi-nority educators and minority students that need to be ad-dressed and improved. Such as, minority students and Eng-lish Language Learners continue to lag behind their peers academically. Minority educators must be afforded an eq-uitable voice to identify, present, and address educational issues to substantially support to close the achievement gap of minority students. In the near future, these students are going to be the largest segment of the student population in this country. Accountability for educating all students to

NSEA

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their potential is significant because it helps shape this nation’s future, as to-day’s students are this nation’s future leaders.

It is the policy of the NEA and NSEA, and its affiliates, to encourage minority members to become involved in Association activities and to seek minority candidates for appointed and elected office at the Local, District, State, and National Levels — “The stated goal of the association is to seek Minority representation on governing and appointed bodies at least equal to the percentage of minority member-ship for that appropriate level.”

This amendment was submitted by the Omaha Education Association’s Ethnic and Minority Affairs Committee.

Proposed BylawsAmendment 6

nArticle III: Board of DirectorsNew Section 2: The President of

NSEA-Retired shall serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.

Section 2 3: The District Presi-

dents, the President of NSEA-Retired, an Education Support Professional representative, the President of the Student Education Association of Ne-braska (SEAN), and the Chair of the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee (EMAC), and NSEA members who are elected at the National Education Association level to be members of the NEA Board of Directors, shall be invited to attend all meetings of the Board of Directors each year as ex-officio members without the right to vote. In the absence of any Board member the District President may assume the seat of an absent direc-tor from the same district with voting privileges. NEA Board members who are ex-officio members of the NSEA Board shall have all expenses paid for by the NEA.

[Renumber remainder of section.]

Rationale: The president of the retired organization serves on the state board of directors in every state where there is a retired organization. A majority of the states provide voting rights for the retired president. NSEA-

Retired has ap-p r o x i m a t e l y 4,500 retired members (with an additional 800 pre-retired lifetime subscrib-ers). If NSEA-Re-tired were a local association, it would be the largest NSEA local affiliate in the state. NSEA board members cur-rently are apportioned so that one board member represents approxi-mately 1,100 active members. NSEA-Retired membership constitutes 16 percent of the 28,000 NSEA members, but the NSEA-Retired membership is not represented by a voting mem-ber on the NSEA board. This bylaw change will allow for voting rights for the NSEA-Retired president, will not increase the size of the NSEA board, and does not provide for proportional representation. NSEA-Retired is ask-ing for one “voting voice” for NSEA-Retired members on the NSEA Board of Directors.

This amendment was submitted by the NSEA-Retired affiliate.

NS

EA

2011

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Horace Mann Offers‘Double Your Grant’ Plan

Horace Mann has partnered with DonorsChoose.org, a not-for-profit organization that connects classroom teachers with donors who want to make a positive impact on education.

Teachers who need help funding school supplies or equipment for their classrooms can request funding through DonorsChoose.org. If they share their project requests with their friends and family via Facebook and other social media web sites, Horace Mann will double each donation for every “friend” who makes a dona-tion.

Horace Mann’s matching dollars are provided through a Double Your Impact Grant. Horace Mann will match dollars for programs meet-ing the following criteria: projects should be valued at $400 or less; and projects should be posted by teach-ers who work at schools in which Horace Mann has a marketing pres-ence.

The program is simple and easy. Teachers register with DonorsChoose.org; choose the needed materials for a specific classroom project; write about how the project will impact their stu-dents; and then tell their friends and contacts on social media web sites about their project. Every time some-one makes a donation to a teacher’s project, Horace Mann will match the donation through a $250,000 Double Your Impact Grant.

For help on submitting a project,

contact your local Horace Mann agent. To see whether your school is eligible, and to contact your local Horace Mann agent, go to the web-site at:

www.horacemann.com

Nucor Steel ChallengesSecondary Students

Nucor Corporation has launched the ‘Strength of Steel Challenge’ and invited middle and high school stu-dents in Nebraska and a handful of other states to participate.

Entrants will work in teams of two to four to create a structure from recy-cled steel that can be used to support another object or objects in the home,

school or vehicle (e.g., a computer monitor stand, a shelf for a school locker or a DVD player holder for the car). The structures must be able to hold at least five pounds of weight, but structures with the ability to with-stand greater amounts are highly en-couraged.

The winning team will receive the Nucor Future Engineers Champion Award of $3,000, and the opportunity to name a teacher who was instru-mental to their progress, who will win $250.

To enter, check this web site:www.strengthofsteelchallenge.com

Nucor produces steel and steel products and is North America’s larg-est recycler.

News You Can Use

Bar Assn. Offers Free ‘Age’ Booklets Complimentary copies of Reaching the Age of Majority booklets are available to all 2011

Nebraska graduating seniors courtesy of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation. The booklet is designed to educate youth of the rights and responsibilities that come with adulthood, and is the volunteer work of legal professionals. Topics include alcohol; contracts; crime victims; health and human services; insurance; internet safety; landlord tenant law; parties; sex crimes; tax responsibilities; and weapons, guns and fireworks.

A generous gift from Virginia Schmid, widow of past Foundation President Marvin Schmid, has made this most recent printing possible. High school administrators are encouraged to submit their booklet requests to Cindy Lilleoien at 402-475-1042 or:

http://www.nebarfnd.org/age-of-majority

Vote forJohn HeinemanNEA Board of Directors

Each and every Nebraska child has an excellent teacher or teachers at the head of the classroom. Yet only one from among those thousands of teachers will wear the mantle of Nebraska’s 2012 Teacher of the Year.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Nebraska Teacher of the Year program. Those who apply should under-stand that the state’s top teacher earns far more than just a title: the winner also receives thousands of dollars in gifts.

The SMARTer Kids Foundation provides the Teacher of the Year with a package of hardware and software for classroom use. Assorted other gifts, from NSEA and other education organiza-tions, add to the value of the title.

Candidates should be exceptionally dedi-cated; knowledgeable and skilled; active in the community in which they teach; and poised, ar-ticulate and energetic.

Other partners who will honor finalists and winners include the NSEA; the Nebraska Coun-cil of School Administrators; the Nebraska As-sociation of School Boards; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska; the Nebraska PTA; Dillard’s of Lincoln; and Data Recognition Cor-poration (DRC). Each of the finalists will also receive a $1,000 grant for a project of the teach-er’s choice in his or her school.

The application is on the Department of Edu-cation web site, and can be completed electroni-

#April 2011.indd 22 3/28/2011 2:53:03 PM


school or vehicle (e.g., a computer monitor stand, a shelf for a school locker or a DVD player holder for the car). The structures must be able to hold at least five pounds of weight, but structures with the ability to with-stand greater amounts are highly en-couraged.

The winning team will receive the Nucor Future Engineers Champion Award of $3,000, and the opportunity to name a teacher who was instru-mental to their progress, who will win $250.

To enter, check this web site:www.strengthofsteelchallenge.com

Nucor produces steel and steel products and is North America’s larg-est recycler.

News You Can Use

Bar Assn. Offers Free ‘Age’ Booklets Complimentary copies of Reaching the Age of Majority booklets are available to all 2011

Nebraska graduating seniors courtesy of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation. The booklet is designed to educate youth of the rights and responsibilities that come with adulthood, and is the volunteer work of legal professionals. Topics include alcohol; contracts; crime victims; health and human services; insurance; internet safety; landlord tenant law; parties; sex crimes; tax responsibilities; and weapons, guns and fireworks.

A generous gift from Virginia Schmid, widow of past Foundation President Marvin Schmid, has made this most recent printing possible. High school administrators are encouraged to submit their booklet requests to Cindy Lilleoien at 402-475-1042 or:

http://www.nebarfnd.org/age-of-majority

Each and every Nebraska child has an excellent teacher or teachers at the head of the classroom. Yet only one from among those thousands of teachers will wear the mantle of Nebraska’s 2012 Teacher of the Year.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Nebraska Teacher of the Year program. Those who apply should under-stand that the state’s top teacher earns far more than just a title: the winner also receives thousands of dollars in gifts.

The SMARTer Kids Foundation provides the Teacher of the Year with a package of hardware and software for classroom use. Assorted other gifts, from NSEA and other education organiza-tions, add to the value of the title.

Candidates should be exceptionally dedi-cated; knowledgeable and skilled; active in the community in which they teach; and poised, ar-ticulate and energetic.

Other partners who will honor finalists and winners include the NSEA; the Nebraska Coun-cil of School Administrators; the Nebraska As-sociation of School Boards; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska; the Nebraska PTA; Dillard’s of Lincoln; and Data Recognition Cor-poration (DRC). Each of the finalists will also receive a $1,000 grant for a project of the teach-er’s choice in his or her school.

The application is on the Department of Edu-cation web site, and can be completed electroni-

cally. Copies will be mailed to individuals who request them.The deadline to apply is Aug. 15. Finalists will be inter-

viewed in October, and an awards luncheon and reception will be held at the NSEA headquarters in November.

For details, or for application materials, call Lora Sypal at the Nebraska Department of Education, 402-471-5059. The Department of Education web site is at:

http://www.education.ne.gov/

Are You the Next Teacher of the Year?

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NEA Click & Save, the online discount buying service for NEA members, highlights select retailers and merchants each month. Check out these featured ‘Buy-lights’ for April:nGNC: 20 percent off $50 or more.

nBrooks Brothers: 15 percent off.nTarget: $7 off $70.nSears: $35 off $300.Join 185,000 NEA members now

registered for Click & Save. Go to:www.neamb.com/clickandsave

‘Click’ & SaveNEA Member Benefits ‘Buy-lights’

Can Save You Cash!

Snookie’sSnippets

If you’re like most people faced with today’s economy, you’re probably look-ing to reduce high-inter-est debt and find ways to stretch your budget.

Consider these ben-efits from the NEA Credit Card with World-Points rewards:nCompetitive rates

negotiated for you.nMember Benefits

is your advocate, as long as you keep the card and remain a member.nChoice of cash,

travel or merchandise rewards.n Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on

purchases. Points are unlimited with no blackout dates on travel.nRedemption starts at 2,500 points.nUp to 20 percent cash back on on-

line purchases.Check out the offer online, using

Priority Code VAAWB2, or call 1-888-758-7946 for details. The site is at:

www.newcardonline.com

The NEA AcademyAdvance your career with online

courses – professional development and degree programs at special member-only prices. New courses and programs are added regularly. To learn more, visit:

www.neaacademy.org

Did You Know?Regarding Social Security benefits:

Those who wait to retire until age 67 will receive 40 percent more in benefits and those who wait until age 70 will re-ceive 60 percent.

Scholarship DrawingsNEA Member Benefits has teamed

up with Sallie Mae, provider of the NEA Smart Option Student Loan Program to offer NEA members six chances to win $2,000 in cash! From March through August 2011, members can enter each month for a chance to win. Call 1-900-637-4636 or go to:

www.neamb.com/prize

Call NEA Member Benefits at 1-800-637-4636, or visit this site for more de-tails on Member Benefits programs:

www.neamb.comSnookie Krumbiegel is Nebraska’s

NEA Member Benefits representative.

NEA Member Benefits

Krumbiegel

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What’s Really Going On?By Kurt GenrichEHA Plan Advocate

Encouraging the school community to make healthy changes was the chal-lenge taken by Norris (District 160) Schools staff and students. Recently, the district received the “Healthy Schools Champion” award from The Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

In the last few years, Norris Super-intendent Dr. John Skretta, along with the staff, has made initiatives to move to healthier choices for the school. By establishing an informational strategy and working with the teachers, great changes have been made.

Norris added healthier entrée items and held food-sampling events to gen-erate enthusiasm for the healthier food items. The district also removed low-nutrient, high-calorie products from vending machines and replaced them with healthier alternatives. Students and staff also took advantage of walk-ing paths during the school day to en-courage and establish healthy routines. Students also participated by doing fit-ness with “physically active” videos

and having “10 at 10” exercise breaks during the day for everyone in the ele-mentary school. Skretta has encouraged teachers to become involved in the suc-cess of the plan.

“The school district has a Wellness steering committee and each school has their own Wellness committee,” said Jane Hensmeyer, physical education/nutrition teacher at the high school. “If Norris schools have well teachers and staff, then we will have well students.”

Both Skretta and Hensmeyer agree that discipline issues have been on the decrease since these initiatives have been instituted.

“After the ‘10 at 10’ exercises, the students are focused again and are more willing to learn,” Skretta said.

The high school also encourages students to bring healthy snacks to help

keep their energy level high. Finally, the Wellness Committee has come up with NPULSE, a weekly wellness newsletter that encourages staff to keep their health and wellness in the forefront.

“We want to always have Wellness on the staff’s attention,” said Hensmey-er. “We’ve had weekly spotlights on dif-ferent health and wellness issues, such as heart wellness; stress management; whole body wellness; and a food, fiber and fellowship meeting. The teachers and staff have all become involved and have seen success.”

Congratulations to all at Norris!

The Educators Health Alliance has named Kurt Genrich to serve as the EHA Plan advocate. Genrich will work with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska

plan participants to answer questions and promote the plan. The EHA Board is comprised of six NSEA representa-tives and three each from the Nebraska Association of School Boards and the Nebraska Council of School Admin-istrators. NSEA Associate Executive Director NealClayburn is vice chair of the EHA Board of Directors.

Call Genrich at 1-866-465-1342; on his cell phone at 402-217-2042; or e-mail him at:

[email protected]

Norris is ‘Healthy Schools’ ChampBCBS Q&A

“The

distribution of

wealth is not

the issue. It is

the equitable

distribution of

taxation to pay

this state’s bills.

”

#April 2011.indd 28 3/28/2011 2:53:12 PM


From the Executive Director

What’s Really Going On?Legislation has been introduced in almost

every state to weaken or eliminate public sec-tor employee benefits or bargaining rights. In some states, the attacks are based on ideas that public workers have such high pay and ben-efits that they are breaking the budget. The argument is that the growth of wages and ben-efits of teachers, road workers, librarians, and other public workers must be stopped. These arguments all point to public workers as the cause of the economic malaise that America now suffers — and that economic recovery depends on stripping the public sector of its exorbitant wages and benefits. Really? The exorbitant wages of teachers and social work-ers put America into the Great Recession?

The Great Recession has little to do with the salaries of kindergarten teachers. It certainly is about corporate profits, executive compen-sation, the systemic cost of high-risk credit, and a continually decreasing marginal tax rate for the wealthy. Nevertheless, the attacks on public sector wages and benefits continue. What is really going on? The national strat-egy of blaming public workers has resulted in efforts to slow the growth of wages, eliminate collective bargaining, dismantle labor dispute mechanisms, raise the retirement age, elimi-nate academic tenure, outlaw payroll deduc-tion of union dues, or otherwise strike at the interests of public sector unions and employ-ees.

All Eyes Are OnThe Wrong Economic Target

If the search is for an economic solution, why concentrate on the wages of public work-ers like teachers? Shouldn’t the economic tar-get be the ill-conceived and broadly discred-ited “supply-side economics” that describes the tax policies supported by some Chambers of Commerce and pro-business governors and legislators? Why are we continuing to focus on incremental changes in wages of teachers and road workers when tax give-aways are the more significant economic problem for the state budget?

Reducing taxes for the wealthy does not

increase tax revenue through increased eco-nomic growth. Period. The argument that it does is flawed, but it continues to guide pub-lic policy in this state. Why? Not because it benefits the public good, but because it ben-efits those high-income, deep-pocket political contributors who guide tax policy to their own advantage. Attacking public employees is a diversionary tactic that puts the focus on the wrong economic target. The effective tax rates of millionaires are lower than those of middle class wage earners — and the end-point of the current political battle is to keep that tax in-equity just as it is. That is why the focus is on the compensation of public employees — not on the real problem of supply-side economics that benefits big business at such a cost to the common citizen.

Collective Poweris the Hidden Story

The distribution of wealth is not the issue. It is the equitable distribution of taxation to pay this state’s bills. And that is why those with the biggest earnings continue to point to public employees as the problem. It keeps at-tention away from them.

Don’t be fooled. The target isn’t public salaries and benefits. The real target is the collective power of common people work-ing together. Millionaire-funded tax institutes complain that public unions use their monies for political activities with the power of thou-sands of volunteers for “voter registration and mobilization.” That is the crux of the hidden story. Unions in this country can muster one of the few counterweights to the massive in-fluence of the wealthiest few on our political system. Attacking public employees and the power of their unions is the goal of this na-tional strategy.

What is going on isn’t really about the costs of public employees; it is an attack on the col-lective power of thousands of union voters. They are the last organized barrier to an out-right fire sale of America to support “supply-side” tax benefits for the wealthy. The stakes in this fight could not be higher.

keep their energy level high. Finally, the Wellness Committee has come up with NPULSE, a weekly wellness newsletter that encourages staff to keep their health and wellness in the forefront.

“We want to always have Wellness on the staff’s attention,” said Hensmey-er. “We’ve had weekly spotlights on dif-ferent health and wellness issues, such as heart wellness; stress management; whole body wellness; and a food, fiber and fellowship meeting. The teachers and staff have all become involved and have seen success.”

Congratulations to all at Norris!

The Educators Health Alliance has named Kurt Genrich to serve as the EHA Plan advocate. Genrich will work with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska

plan participants to answer questions and promote the plan. The EHA Board is comprised of six NSEA representa-tives and three each from the Nebraska Association of School Boards and the Nebraska Council of School Admin-istrators. NSEA Associate Executive Director NealClayburn is vice chair of the EHA Board of Directors.

Call Genrich at 1-866-465-1342; on his cell phone at 402-217-2042; or e-mail him at:

[email protected]

Norris is ‘Healthy Schools’ Champ

NSEA Executive Director Craig R.

Christiansen

“The

distribution of

wealth is not

the issue. It is

the equitable

distribution of

taxation to pay

this state’s bills.

”

#April 2011.indd 29 3/28/2011 2:53:13 PM


Spring Conference in OmahaOffers Variety of Learning OptionsThe 2011 NSEA-Retired Spring Conference agenda is near-

ly complete, and the event should be a whiz bang affair! On the agenda will be a gourmet meal, plenty of breakout sessions and a tour of the historic General Crook House.

On Wednesday, April 13, students at the Met-ro Community College Culinary Arts Institute will serve a multi-course gourmet meal. Cost is $30 each; make your check to NSEA-Retired and mail it to Rebecca Smith, NSEA, 605 S. 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 (include names of all who will be cov-ered by your payment).

On Thursday, April 14, the keynote, on ‘Le-gal Issues and Living Options During Retire-ment’ will be offered by Jana Halloran, of the Eastern Nebras-ka Office on Aging. Tim Anderson, author of John Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks, will deliver the ‘Spotlight on Nebraska’ ad-dress. Breakout sessions on digital cameras, cooking for two, writing to preserve family memories, and other topics are also on the agenda. After the conference, a tour of the historic Gen-eral Crook house is available for a freewill donation of $5.

All sessions will be held at the Culinary Arts Institute, North 32nd Street and Sorensen Parkway on the Fort Omaha Campus of Metro Community College. Register on-line for the confer-ence and the meal function by April 8 at:

www.nsea.org/members/retiredYou can also register by calling Rebecca Smith at 1-800-

742-0047, or by e-mailing her at:[email protected]

Did Your Retirement Check Take a Dip?Did income from your Nebraska Public Employees Retire-

ment Systems pension take a slight dip in January?If so, NSEA-Retired President Roger Rea provides a simple

explanation for that dip.Pension checks fell slightly in January, not because your

benefits were cut, said Rea, but because the federal “making work pay” tax credit expired, and older withholding tables went back into effect.

Two years ago an economic stimulus bill was passed by the federal government. But rather than give taxpay-ers a tax credit the fol-lowing April 15, the tax cut that was passed low-ered the withholding amounts for all workers. Retirees got the same lower withholding tax tables, but did not get the tax rebate.

That federal program has come to an end, and a higher withhold-ing rate went into effect January 1, with the net result a slightly smaller monthly pension check.

Rea suggests that all retirees always watch

their account deposits carefully.“Any time there is a change in your take-home pension

amount, I suggest that you check the deposit information for the current month against the check amount for the prior month,” said Rea.

He also noted that each year, there is a cost-of-living adjust-ment, which increases retirement paychecks. In addition, there are deductions for both federal and state income taxes.

“Retirees should check to see whether the gross amount of their retirement pay went up, meaning a cost-of-living adjust-ment was added or that federal or state income tax withholding went down, or if the federal or state income tax withholding rates increased, meaning the take-home amount went down,” said Rea.

For more information, contact the Nebraska Public Employ-ees Retirement Office toll-free at-1-800-245-5712 or in Lin-coln at 402-471-2053. For personal tax advice, contact your tax preparer.

— Tom Black, Editor [email protected]

NSEA-Retired Corner

Gourmet Goodies and History

Hot and tasty: HyVee dietician Shannon Frink shares her latest cre-ation with NSEA-Retired members at the organization’s Fall Confer-ence last October. Awaiting a bite are, from left, are Gaylord Peterson, Rita Lammers, Marie Meyers and Janie Heady. The Spring Conference promises to offer just as much dining fun.

NSEA-Retired ballots were counted on March 18. Accord-ing to NSEA-Retired Bylaws, the NSEA-Retired president shall be first delegate to NSEA Delegate Assembly and NEA Representa-tive Assembly. The election results are for the additional positions to those two assemblies, as well as for general officers of the Association. A total of 1,280 ballots were received. In addition, 42 valid ballots were marked for more than the allowed number of candidates in some elections, and were ruled invalid for the posi-tions for which they “over-voted.” Here are the results:

NSEA-Retired Board of Directors — president, Rog-

er Rea; vice president, Tom Black; Capitol District director, De Tonack; Elkhorn District director, Francis Rohrich; Sandhills Dis-trict director, Dee Gillham.

NSEA Delegate Assembly — Capitol District: Pat Etherton, Arlene Rea, De Tonack; Elkhorn District: Tom Black, Art Tanderup; Metro District: Joe Higgins, John Jensen, Liz Rea, Walta Sue Dodd, Ruby Davis; Panhandle District: Jim McDermott; Sandhills District: Dee Gillham; Tri-Valley District: Jan Barnason, Guy Roggenkamp.

NEA Representative Assembly — Region 1: John Jensen; Region 2: Tom Black; At Large: Joe Higgins, Pat Etherton.

They’re in: 2011 NSEA-Retired Election Results

Case for Anita DrainWent to High Court

Maywood Teacher Set Standardin Fighting ‘Unreasonable Dismissal’Anita Drain, a lifetime member of NSEA and NEA, and the fo-

cus of a 1993 member rights case that was decided by the Nebras-ka Supreme Court, died in Orem, UT, on March 2. She was 62.

During her 30-year teaching career, Drain taught at Maywood and later at Hay Springs. On Valentine’s Day 1990, Drain received a not-so-sweet letter from the Maywood Public Schools – a dismissal notice.

The district where she had taught for 20 years alleged insubordination and neglect of duty for failing to return to work within a ‘reasonable peri-od of time’ following the serious illness, and then unexpected death during surgery, of her mother. Drain used a fraction of the sick leave she had ac-cumulated to care for her mother, and to deal with funeral arrangements and other matters.

Although her termination was upheld by the Frontier County Court, and later the Nebraska Court of Appeals, the state’s Supreme Court later elected to review her case.

Nearly four years after her firing, the High Court reversed the finding that the length of Drain’s absence was “unreasonable.” The court also found that the negotiated agreement was clear in what leave was permitted; and said that neither a court nor the school board were at liberty to place a ‘reasonableness’ construction on the agreement’s language. Drain received a substantial cash settle-ment as a result of the ruling. She had moved from her long-time home and was teaching at Hayes Center at the time.

NSEA Attorney Scott Norby said, at the time, that “cancelling Anita’s long teaching career was, as the Supreme Court stated, ‘reprehensible’ and was properly reversed.”

In an analysis also written at the time of the case, NSEA At-torney Mark McGuire wrote that “school boards will not be free to search for obscure technical violations of school district policy to justify the termination of a teacher’s employment.”

Drain, a McCook native, earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kearney State College. She was an avid genealogy fan and historian, and enjoyed all kinds of puzzles. She is survived by a sister, two brothers and many nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

#April 2011.indd 30 3/28/2011 2:53:15 PM


Stuff You Should Know

NSEA-Retired Corner

Gourmet Goodies and History

er Rea; vice president, Tom Black; Capitol District director, De Tonack; Elkhorn District director, Francis Rohrich; Sandhills Dis-trict director, Dee Gillham.

NSEA Delegate Assembly — Capitol District: Pat Etherton, Arlene Rea, De Tonack; Elkhorn District: Tom Black, Art Tanderup; Metro District: Joe Higgins, John Jensen, Liz Rea, Walta Sue Dodd, Ruby Davis; Panhandle District: Jim McDermott; Sandhills District: Dee Gillham; Tri-Valley District: Jan Barnason, Guy Roggenkamp.

NEA Representative Assembly — Region 1: John Jensen; Region 2: Tom Black; At Large: Joe Higgins, Pat Etherton.

Case for Anita DrainWent to High Court

Maywood Teacher Set Standardin Fighting ‘Unreasonable Dismissal’Anita Drain, a lifetime member of NSEA and NEA, and the fo-

cus of a 1993 member rights case that was decided by the Nebras-ka Supreme Court, died in Orem, UT, on March 2. She was 62.

During her 30-year teaching career, Drain taught at Maywood and later at Hay Springs. On Valentine’s Day 1990, Drain received a not-so-sweet letter from the Maywood Public Schools – a dismissal notice.

The district where she had taught for 20 years alleged insubordination and neglect of duty for failing to return to work within a ‘reasonable peri-od of time’ following the serious illness, and then unexpected death during surgery, of her mother. Drain used a fraction of the sick leave she had ac-cumulated to care for her mother, and to deal with funeral arrangements and other matters.

Although her termination was upheld by the Frontier County Court, and later the Nebraska Court of Appeals, the state’s Supreme Court later elected to review her case.

Nearly four years after her firing, the High Court reversed the finding that the length of Drain’s absence was “unreasonable.” The court also found that the negotiated agreement was clear in what leave was permitted; and said that neither a court nor the school board were at liberty to place a ‘reasonableness’ construction on the agreement’s language. Drain received a substantial cash settle-ment as a result of the ruling. She had moved from her long-time home and was teaching at Hayes Center at the time.

NSEA Attorney Scott Norby said, at the time, that “cancelling Anita’s long teaching career was, as the Supreme Court stated, ‘reprehensible’ and was properly reversed.”

In an analysis also written at the time of the case, NSEA At-torney Mark McGuire wrote that “school boards will not be free to search for obscure technical violations of school district policy to justify the termination of a teacher’s employment.”

Drain, a McCook native, earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kearney State College. She was an avid genealogy fan and historian, and enjoyed all kinds of puzzles. She is survived by a sister, two brothers and many nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Don’t Forget Your Tax Deduction!A call from a member reminded us to remind all NSEA

members about the Educator Expense deduction available to K-12 educators as they calculate their 2010 taxes. The IRS allows educators who paid for classroom supplies and other materials to claim up to $250 in such expenses as an above-the-line tax deduction. In other words, such expenses do not need to be itemized.

Expenses that can be claimed include those for supplies, materials, books, software and so forth. If both husband and wife are educators, up to $500 can be claimed on a joint income tax return. There are qualifications. Those who claim such expenses must be a teacher, aide, instructor, counselor or principal, and must have worked in a school for at least 900 hours during the past school year. Only K-12 educators qualify.

For more details, contact a qualified tax preparer.

Drain

#April 2011.indd 31 3/28/2011 2:53:15 PM


Mailed By: The Nebraska State Education Association Suite 200, 605 S. 14th St., Lincoln, NE 68508-2742

Family of Teachers

Harrington Family of Teachers: The Harrington family has scores of years in the education business. Front row, from left, are: Kirk Harrington, who taught for 14 years at Petersburg and Cedar Rapids; Marge Harrington, who is retired after 26 years at Loup City; Dick Harrington, who taught at Albion and now teaches at Loup City; and Dave Harrington, who taught ag education at Neligh.

Standing, from left, are Lisa Harrington, who teaches at Loup City; Brandon Harrington, a teacher at Limon, CO; Pam Harrington, a school nurse and substi-tute teacher at Loup City; Calla Harrington, a teacher at Platteview; Scott Har-rington, who teaches for the Norris Public Schools; Lisa Harrington, a teacher at Elmwood-Murdock; and Nancy Harrington, a teacher at St. Paul.

If you have a family of teachers, snap a photo and send it to Family of Teach-ers, c/o NSEA, 605 S. 14th St., Lincoln, NE 68508.

Packing up the ClassroomFrom Lisa Kanute, a high school English teacher in Tucson:

“I strongly dislike bare walls, so I only take down con-tent-related posters right before finals start. I leave up the fun, encouraging ones until the very end. Also, since I use hot glue to put them up on cinder-block walls, they come down quickly and easily.

“I’m not usually one to suggest spending more of one’s own money than necessary on supplies, but I’ve found poster storage systems to be very

helpful. The one I have is a box that has large file folders inside. It’s easy to slip the posters into the folders when they come off the wall, put the lid on, and go. They stay flat and in good shape, so they’re ready to go up in the fall.

“Finally, I find out who is in charge of copier paper for the school, and ask for the empty boxes early. I have to pack up a lot of bookshelves for the summer. The boxes are easily stored on top of cabinets and bookshelves until I need them.”

Sign up for Works4Me at this link:http://www.nea.org/tools/Works4Me.html

Speakingof Teaching“These are the values inspiring

those brave workers in Poland ... They remind us that where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost. They remind us that

freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”

—President Ronald Reagan,Labor Day Address 1980.

A Non-PartisanCivics LessonNEA Partners with

Rock the VoteRock the Vote has partnered with the

National Education Association on a new high school civics program to com-memorate the 40th anniversary of the passage of the 26th Amendment.

Under the banner of ‘The First An-nual Democracy Day’, Rock the Vote, with the NEA, is asking educators na-tionwide to bring Rock the Vote’s De-mocracy Class to their school in an effort to engage young people in civic participation. Forty years ago, educators and students stood together and fought to lower the voting age to 18. In doing so, they amended the Constitution, and empowered millions of American citi-zens to have a say in our democracy.

Democracy Class is a 45-minute, nonpartisan lesson plan geared towards high school students. The class teaches students the history of voting rights, walks them through the voter registra-tion process, and engages them in a mock election. Educators who sign up will receive a free toolkit, which includes a lesson plan, video, T-shirts, buttons, a classroom banner and a com-memorative poster.

To learn more, go to this web site:www.democracyday.com

#April 2011.indd 32 3/28/2011 2:53:16 PM

2011 april voice

Documents

nsea voice n page

nebraska educators

nea foundation awards

nsea endorsement

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