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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2003

Speech

ESP of the Year Address -
Remarks by Marty Meyer

New Orleans, Louisiana

I would like to thank the IEA Board of Directors for having confidence in me to nominate me for such a prestigious award. And I also want to thank the NEA for selecting me, and the IEA and NEA Staff for being so helpful in making arrangements for me to be here. These are first class organizations and I have been treated as a first class person.

This has been a fabulous Assembly. I have heard some wonderful speeches from some very gifted and inspiring speakers. As a school custodian I have spent the last 22 years in boiler rooms, school basements, and whatever closet that I could wrestle away from a speech and language pathologist. There is absolutely nothing in my background that has prepared me for public speaking. However, as an ESP I am used to being asked to do many things without the benefit of any training.  And this has paid better.

I joined the Association in 1989. That was the year after ESPs became eligible to join in Idaho. Shortly after that I was complaining to our Building Rep about our district's health insurance plan. She told me, "You know, the union has an insurance committee. Maybe you should be on it."   Obviously, she wasn't interested in listening to me complain, so I joined the committee.

I felt very good about the work that I did there. In a non-bargaining state for ESPs, I was able to be an advocate for my peers, many of whom work specifically for that health insurance benefit.  I was perfectly comfortable and content on that committee . Six years ago I got a call from then IEA President Robin Nettinga. She asked if I would be willing to serve in the ESP at-large position on the Government Relations Committee. With some trepidation I accepted. I have often heard that "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear." Well, I must have been ready because they appeared in droves.

I knew nothing about organized political action. But I showed up, I listened, and they taught me. One lady in particular began to drag me around to political events and introduce me to people that I really didn't care to meet. At my very first political banquet she informed me that she had over booked our table but she would find a place for me, and she did. After I sat down I looked to see who was sitting next to me.

It was then Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth. And so the journey began.

In 1999 I attended my first National ESP Conference. That was the year that it was in Memphis. I remember everything about it. I remember the breakout sessions, the presenters, the speeches, and the marching ducks at the Peabody Hotel. I just couldn't get enough. And if all that wasn't enough we were just a block from Beale Street and BB King's place. That was also the conference where Gail Rasmussen was named the NEA's ESP of the Year. I remember sitting in the back of the banquet hall watching her receive that honor. To believe that could ever happen to me was more than I could even dream.

As has been mentioned I am from Idaho. Actually I live in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, which is in Kootenai County. For those of you who may not know, Idaho is the most Republican state in the nation. Less than a year ago the conservatives were quite proud of saying that Kootenai County was the most Republican county in the most Republican state in the nation.  They don’t say that any more. They can't. We found that as a result of redistricting, Coeur d' Alene was a legislative district where we could make a difference. We went to work and defeated an anti public education incumbent. She was quoted in the newspaper after her defeat as saying, "I lost because the educators were against me."  She was right.

We were also instrumental in defeating another anti-public education candidate in the same district. We won these two races by a total of 88 votes. The remaining senator from that district is a Republican friend of education. We have a good number of Republican friends in Idaho. If those running for office in either party believe that we can make the difference in an election, they'll come looking for us.

As a school custodian my job description lists my duties as cleaning and caring for my school in an orderly manner. I prefer to think of my job as providing a place where learning can occur, where students feel safe and secure, teachers can teach, food service can meet the nutritional needs of kids, and the front office can take care of children and parents. If all that I did was care for and clean my school I'd be back home doing that right now, and somebody else would be standing here. My job description is about a building, but my job is about people.

I read something a while back that struck me.  "Children believe in what they see, and what they believe in they become." I am quite fond of that. It reminds me that when I am at work the children are watching me, whether I give my permission or not. If I am an association leader my peers are watching me.

Since receiving this award in Orlando three months ago, I have been delighted with the contact that I’ve had with so many old and new found friends. I have gotten congratulations from NEA members across the nation; I have been honored at our school board meeting; I have been given a proclamation at the city council meeting; I’ve had a reception at school with my peers, and I’ve had dinner with association friends. It is only fitting that we should celebrate together, because at some point in my association work I have crossed paths with all of these people. One of these people was Chris Gardner. Mr. Gardner is the benefactor whose company donates the cash award to the NEA’s ESP of the Year. I asked him, "What motivates you to do this?"  He gave the question right back to me. "Why do you do what you do?" Still a little overwhelmed, I mumbled something about liking kids. He came to my rescue by saying, "Because it is the right thing to do." No $20 words or long-winded explanation; just a simple response from a very wise man.

I believe that the company that I keep today will influence who I am tomorrow. And for the last few years I have been fortunate enough to hang out with people who don't just work in public schools. They give of themselves in service to public education.

Several years ago I heard a story that I would like to pass on to you today. There was a little girl from a small town who traveled to the big city. While she was there she had a chance to visit the giant cathedrals. She was in awe of the beautiful stained glass windows, and asked someone, "Who are the people in the windows?" A man replied, "Those are the saints." When she got back home the people asked her what she had seen. She told them she had seen the saints. When they asked her who the saints were, she told them, "They are the ones who let the light in."

I recently met a bus driver who spends her own time and money making holiday ornaments or crafts for every child on her route. When she hands them out, one by one, making each child feel special and cared for, she lets the light in.

When the food service worker, who just happens to know every kid in the school, recognizes the child who has an empty stomach and a hungry heart, and serves an extra portion with kind words and caring, she let’s the light in.

I believe that when a young child shows up for school on the first day, looking lost and overwhelmed, and one of us takes them by the hand and says, "Come with me honey, I’ll show you where you belong," we let the light in.

We could all add to the list. The point is this: don’t ever under estimate the power of the things that we do everyday, for free. Because we fight for and deserve things like justice and democracy in the workplace, some would label us as defenders of the status quo, or even self-serving. Those people miss who we are. All of us go beyond our defined jobs to make a positive impact in the lives of the children we work with. And it's not just about the paycheck; we do it because it's our nature. 

When people asked me what I was doing this summer I told them that I was going to New Orleans and give a speech to 10,000 or so people. The usual response was, "My God, why do you want to do that?" Well, a number of reasons. But let me give you one. My daughter was married last September and for the father/bride dance she chose the song, "I Hope you Dance." My favorite line in the song is, "If you have a choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance." There was no way I was going to sit this one out. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to dance.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.6 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.