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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 1998

NEW ORLEANS -- Roger Sharp, a mathematics teacher at Marion High School in Marion, Indiana, was re-elected to the National Education Association (NEA) Executive Committee today. He was one of two Committee members elected to lead the nation's largest teachers organization, by delegates to the Association's Representative Assembly July 3-6 here.

An advocate of NEA President Bob Chase's "new unionism," where teachers and administrators work in a collaborative, cooperative manner to ensure quality teaching, Sharp used his candidacy to call for a strong partnership between students, educators, families and communities. "The NEA has a tremendous role in making that partnership a success," he said. "And when we do that, we make public education a source of pride in community after community."

Sharp has held several NEA affiliate positions, including Marion Teachers Association president and member of the Indiana State Teachers Association board of directors and executive committee. Sharp has also served on the NEA board of directors. He was first elected to the NEA Executive Committee in 1995.

A member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Sharp earned his bachelor degree in mathematics from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, and a master's in math education from Purdue University in Fort Wayne.

Sharp and his wife, Kathleen Orrison Sharp, an elementary school principal in the Indianapolis public school system, have one son, Kenneth.

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.4 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers. The NEA Executive Committee consists of nine members – three executive officers and six members elected at large by the Representative Assembly.

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.