February 2004 Table of Contents In this Issue Cover Story Features Getting Organized NEAFT Retirement People Last Bell ESP Health & Fitness Spotlight Departments Editor's Note President's Viewpoint Up Front Rights Watch State Report Leading the Way Debate Dilemma Resources Books by NEA Members Online Change Your Address/ Write a Letter Past Issues

Advertise in NEA Today!

South Carolina

The state of South Carolina proclaims that, legally, it need only provide a "minimally adequate" education. In response, eight rural districts have hauled legislators into court in a funding lawsuit. In their defense, lawmakers have blamed dismal school funding on the "recession." Richard Miller, executive director of The South Carolina Education Association (SCEA), thinks the only thing that's gone into recession is leadership. "Governor Mark Sanford and others have vowed to raise per-capita income by cutting the income taxes of the state's wealthiest citizens—not by investing more in public education, school construction, or job training for displaced workers," Miller says. "And our legislature failed to fully fund its standards and accountability model this year, yet held the Department of Education, our educators, and students to those standards!"

Don't think the business community isn't taking notes. "'I can't find the workers I need.' You hear that throughout South Carolina," the chairman of the state Chamber of Commerce testified at the school funding trial. Stay tuned.

Nebraska

The Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) is joining with the Nebraska Coalition of Educational Equity and Adequacy (NCEEA) to file a school funding lawsuit against the state. NCEEA's brief will contend that, under current funding restrictions, Nebraska's public schools cannot give each child the equitable and adequate education guaranteed by the state constitution.

NSEA and its coalition partners are calling for more funding to ensure an in-depth curriculum at each school that "meets the requirements of an essential education for every student." The plaintiffs also cite the need for highly qualified and competitively paid teaching staff in each classroom—and adequate facilities and support services to help every child meet achievement standards.

Massachusetts

Through intensive organizing and mass lobbying, the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) and other unions have won a long fight to get the state to honor contracts it negotiated nearly three years ago for more than 13,000 public higher education employees.

Governor Mitt Romney has signed legislation, overwhelmingly approved by the legislature, that authorizes more than $34 million for stalled higher ed raises. But Romney says he won't build those increases into his next budget. So much for written promises. MTA President Catherine A. Boudreau says she's now "counting on legislators" to ensure that the state lives up to its word.

Colorado

A District Court judge has ruled for the plaintiffs in an NEA-financed suit against a new law creating a "pilot" voucher program in 11 Colorado districts. The judge has held that the law violates the "local control" clause of the state constitution and issued an injunction against program implementation.

This decision "reinforces our belief that our statewide system of public education is founded on the principal of local control," says Colorado Education Association President Ron Brady. "There is no doubt the state will appeal this decision. But we remain committed to focusing on the things that make a real difference in student achievement and we will continue to reject all attempts to bring vouchers to Colorado."

Michigan

At a November rally, NEA President Reg Weaver urged more than 400 Southfield teachers and support professionals to "keep up the fight" in their protracted contract dispute over wages and health insurance. Following a quarter-mile-long candlelight march to the Southfield school board meeting, Weaver urged board members to negotiate a fair contract with three Michigan Education Association locals representing nearly 1,400 district employees.

Delaware

Four Delaware State Education Association local affiliates in the Capitol School District have won an arbitration case over the superintendent's decision to force education support professionals and teachers to work or attend a Professional Development Day during a severe snowstorm in February 2003, even though schools were closed to students. If employees didn't show up, they were docked or forced to use a leave day. The arbitrator awarded the decision to all four locals and ordered the district to make the affected employees "whole" either through pay or paid leave and to "cease and desist from future violations of...contractual provisions on future days on which schools are closed for inclement weather."

California

The California Teachers Association (CTA) acted swiftly to provide help to members victimized by deadly fires in Southern California. Through its disaster relief fund, CTA awarded 59 grants totaling $59,000 and made 41 loans totaling $52,000 to members in need. CTA chapters also pitched in by donating meals and bedding, caring for pets, and providing housing for victims.