News:
Heroes & Zeroes

First, an Illinois hero: On National ESP Day last November 17, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White issued a proclamation that cited education support personnel for partnering with teachers, administrators, and parents in the "creation of a caring, safe, and clean learning environment dedicated to high academic standards." And the secretary officially commended Illinois ESP for their "important role in the creation and preservation of efficient and effective public institutions of learning."

Now, an Illi-nil: As if his $7 billion state agency were a helpless bystander, Illinois State School Superintendent Max McGee said recently he would consider private school tuition vouchers as a tool to help some kids "escape" districts that don't perform well academically. "There are only a handful of Illinois districts that can be labeled the 'worst,'" notes Illinois Education Association President Anne Davis. "McGee and his 750-employee education agency have the expertise to shore up a few districts, don't they?"

Gloria Miller, a teacher at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been honored by the South Dakota Education Association for her countless good works, everything from providing a safe haven for throwaway kids to helping homeless and transient folks get their GEDs and prepare for the job market. This NEA member has "dedicated her life to making the Sioux Falls area a better place, and we can all be proud," says SDEA President Elaine Roberts.

When recently asked how to "deal with the teachers' union," Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating joked, "Homicide." The governor later apologized to members of the Oklahoma Education Association, but OEA President Carolyn Crowder notes that a teacher could be fired for publicly making such a comment--and reminds Keating that NEA is more than an organization or an agenda. "We're Democrats, Republicans, Sunday school teachers, chamber of commerce members, and community volunteers," Crowder stresses.