Happy Holidays!

It doesn’t seem possible that the first four months of school are almost done. Elections are over, and the really hard part begins. With a new governor comes change, and while people are hoping for better days ahead, we all need to face the fact that our property taxes cannot improve without jeopardizing the quality of our educational system. Cuts in state funding and government positions put more pressure on property owners. The local municipalities must pick up the slack when the state stops paying.

So what happens to our pensions, and our health benefits upon retirement, and the funding for local school districts in order to meet state and federal mandates? Time will tell, and that time is not far off. Very soon a new calendar year will begin.

It greatly amazes me that so many of our county association members feel that politics and involvement in our government is for someone else to do. For the past three months many of our wonderful county association members gave up evenings to phone bank for the last election. This time they were calling fellow NJEA members from Morris County. Most of the time they were met with kind reactions from their peers, and often they had to leave messages. But some of their peers, though, were extremely rude. Several volunteers were met with swearing, and two callers even had their lives threatened. What a shame that our own members can’t take time to speak nicely to their peers who were volunteering for political action they felt necessary. They were showing their support for their NJEA endorsed candidates and doing their civic duty. Whether we agree with a political side or not, we should show respect for those who give of their time to work for a candidate.

But, as I said earlier, the elections in our state are over, and there are many issues ahead that go beyond the scope of New Jersey. On the federal level, new initiatives emanating from the Department of Education make NCLB look like child’s play. There are plans to tie test scores of students to pay for educators, expand charter schools that take funds from public schools, set national standards and create new tests by groups that have conflicts of interest with public education, remove half of the staff from Title I schools and place prescriptive and counterproductive mandates on schools and districts.

The NEA Executive Committee ESEA Advisory Sub-Committee and the National Council of Urban Education leaders are creating an action plan that could help deal with these new and disturbing initiatives. Our local association leaders will soon be asked to get involved to try to slow down some of the “craziness” in the guise of education reform. Perhaps there will be more dedicated volunteers who care about political action and preserving public education who will want to get involved in carrying out the NEA Action Plan.

I promise, you will be hearing more about the action plan in the future. But, now the holidays are upon us, and it is time to tend to the needs of our students and families: a time to find joy in the beauty of the holidays and the happiness of children.

And that leads me to the conclusion of this message. You see, it really is all about the children! We, as educators, must be involved. The best way we can serve our schools and the students we teach is to make sure that free and public education survives and thrives not only in our state but our nation. That is what political action is all about-it is our mission. 

Again, Happy Holidays! May you be safe and healthy as you enjoy friends and family. Until next year……….!