Report on 1997 NEA Convention
Atlanta, Georgia
Fast Facts
- During the six-day convention, delegates raised $
731,243 for NEA-PAC, almost $7,000 more than in 1996.
- The 1997-98 NEA operating budget is $209,698,886,
including external recoveries.
- Merger plans of the two teacher unions will be
presented to the NEA and AFT delegates in 1998.
- For the second consecutive year, the NEA has hired a
consultant (Ken Ruberg) to improve relations with
Republicans. Translate to approach more liberal
Republicans to run for office so that NEA can support
them and claim increased bipartisanship. No explanation
why Roy Pfauche was not rehired.
- Expect NEA's $16,000,000 foundation -- the National
Foundation for Improvement in Education (NFIE) -- to fund
their "new unionism" programs.
- Delegates were urged to "Stand up against vouchers!
Check Exhibit Hall Booth #510 for info on the
NAACP-People for the American Way postcard campaign. Then
hit the GR (Government Relations) table and send a
postcard urging Congress to keep public tax dollars in
public schools."
- In December 1996, the 9-member Executive Committee of
the NEA contributed $30,000 to "assist People for the
American Way with their organizational activities." For
1997-98, NEA budgeted $80,000 for coalition building with
PAW and $2,000 for NAACP.
- About 250 delegates attended an all-day conference on
Collective Bargaining. A similar conference is scheduled
for later this year in New Orleans.
- NEA's Gay and Lesbian Caucus and Gay, Lesbian, and
Straight Teachers' Network (GLSTN) sponsored a showing of
the lesbian-produced video, "It's Elementary," promoted
by NEA.
- Over 2,000 delegates attended NEA's annual Human and
Civil Rights dinner extravaganza at which several gays
and lesbians were honored, including a Utah high school
student for "coming out" and establishing a
lesbian/gay/straight club.
- NEA's Executive Committee spent $50,000 in February
1997 to "support the Coalition for Budget Integrity and
the early defeat of the balanced budget amendment in
Congress.
- NEA is committed to getting legislators to sponsor
enabling legislation for the Equal Rights Amendment. A
curriculum guide was available for teachers to use in
grades 9-12.
Hopeful Signs ??
- A number of brave delegates questioned the use of
their dues for coalition building and charitable
contributions (budgeted at over $1.2 million). After
debate, delegates defeated a board-supported New Business
Item which would have donated $15,000 to charities in the
convention host city, a practice undertaken for the past
several years.
- In part, "...because NEA keeps getting beat up by the
radical right with these non-education issues included,"
delegates voted twice to eliminate two litmus test items
from the NEA's candidate questionnaire: 1) "NEA supports
the addition of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution, 2) NEA supports reproductive freedom
without government intervention."
- NEA affiliates in Georgia, Texas, Missouri and other
Right to Work states made a plea for more money from the
NEA to resist the inroads being made by the growing
independent teacher associations in those states.
- This New Business Item was adopted as amended: "That
NEA survey all state and local affiliates requesting
information they may have concerning the funding of
radical right groups by various corporate and family
foundations (e.g., Melton, Coors, and Walton), then
compile the results of the survey, and disseminate a list
of such organizations for information and possible
boycott of their products."
- Although the proposal lost, 2,408 delegates voted to
create a new bylaw section which would have ensured that
no NEA General Fund monies would be expended for abortion
lobbying activities.
|
Report on 1997 NEA Convention
