Have wheels, will travel!

This is "Henry" my trusty HHR (short for "heritage high roof"). A few years ago Chevy got into the retro look and came up with this design based on the 1949 Chevy Suburban.

In May of 2006 because of all of my statewide involvement I'd driven my trusty Cavalier into the ground (more than 100,000 miles in just over 4 years!) and was looking for a new vehicle. The HHR was a standout because it not only has lots of room for gear of all sorts (if you're interested, ask what my husband and I do for fun in the summer!) but has a highway mileage rating of 30 mpg. It has the added benefit of a 6 CD changer, XM satellite radio and Onstar, giving me entertainment and safe communication for those long trips across the state. SOLD!

One of the unwritten requirements of the OEA Region III Vice President is having reliable transportation. The Regional VP is expected to attend meetings not only at OEA Headquarters in Portland but UniServ meetings in Coos Bay, Klamath Falls, Medford, Redmond, Roseburg, Pendleton, Hood River and yes, Baker City with side trips to Salem, Eugene and other points west. As a Wyoming native and 19 year resident of Eastern Oregon travel is second nature (when Baker City's only theater was closed a few years ago I thought nothing of a 90 mile round trip for a movie, sometimes on a school night!). I have several maps, studded tires and a healthy respect for the road.

Henry is covered in snow and a layer of winter road film at the moment, but with a good brushing and a fill-up he's ready to be called to action. Have wheels, will travel!

Trying to get my ducks in a row.

So far I'm enjoying spring break. For those of us in education it is a welcome relief from "March Madness." This month we are not only helping our students with their latest round of government-ordered tests/assessments but witnessing an awesome display of hormones in full-bloom. Our fifth-graders just aren't the same kids they were back in December! Of course as spring progresses things only intensify. Which is why spring break is so important to our mental and physical health!

When April arrives I will be spending a good deal of time traveling to UniServ Mock/Mini Ra's across Region III so this year spring break will be spent at home, getting my ducks in a row. I've already had some time in the garden to make room for spring growth. Here in eastern Oregon it is still quite early to put out flowers I find myself fighting the urge to at least look at pansies and consider fertilizing my roses. I've taken care of routine maintenance; there was a trip to my family doctor and one to the local salon. I spent just an hour at school tying up odds and ends so I could relax at home guilt-free and have run some household errands around town. I will likely break out the household cleaning supplies and vacuum up the latest layer of hair my three lovely kitties have deposited throughout the house (According to Barb Gornick no outfit is complete without cat hair and I'm inclined to agree). All in all it has been relaxing so far.

I'm also taking this time to make campaign plans and get my ducks in a row with regard to people and places. It will be fun to travel again and meet members across the state. One thing I can say for certain: OEA members are not dull!

So until April comes you know where to find me. Quack!

How does your garden grow?

Ah, the first day of Spring Break! Since the weather forecast is predicting rain later in the week I took advantage of the sunshine and spent several hours cleaning up the winter debris from my flowerbeds and pulling a few weeds.

After working with my brain every day in the classroom it is always a nice change of pace to be outside and working with my body and allowing my mind to wander and ponder questions from small (What should I serve for Easter dinner?) to large (Clinton or Obama?).

Things look good so far. Amazingly when the leaves were cleared away I found a few pansies not only surviving, but blooming! (The picture at the left is from several springs ago, but that is where the blossoms are.) The rose bushes all have signs of life and tulip leaves are pushing their way up. The rhubarb is coming up in force and will be ready to put into a pie in a few weeks time. My hubby, Vern, is happy about that! A new season is beginning.

As I was in the garden I couldn't help but think of OEA. It is a season of change for us too. With the coming election we have the opportunity for new growth and new direction. Fortunately our OEA forebears had the wisdom to stagger the elections for OEA President and State Vice President with the current election for Regional Vice Presidents and NEA Directors. We are fortunate to retain President Larry Wolf and Vice President Gail Rasmussen who have led us so faithfully for the past 3 years. With their energy and direction we will continue to prosper and to serve our members well. It is time to add new members to the team to help them.

Tony Crawford has also worked hard to serve our members as Region I Vice President but has termed-out so is running for NEA Director. Tony knows OEA, knows NEA and besides being an accomplished teacher is a passionate advocate who would do an excellent job as NEA Director. His leadership would be a continued advantage for our members. Allan Bruner, Oregon Teacher of the Year in 2006, is another outstanding candidate for NEA Director. He is a National Board Certified Teacher so understands the classroom and has served in many positions in his local and UniServ Council. His gentle but focused energy is just what OEA needs now. These two leaders would make an effort to keep all of us "in the loop" on NEA happenings that matter to Oregon.

Al Spencer is an excellent choice as Region I Vice President. He has a vast amount of teaching experience both in Oregon and in other states as well as being an Association leader in many capacities. Al has a level head and has a tremendous amount of drive to get the job done right. Jo Cooper has an amazing 30-year career in education so has seen how much education has changed during that time. She can also appreciate how collective bargaining has changed working conditions for those of us in education here in Oregon. She, too, has a variety of Association experience that would serve members well as Region II Vice President. I am the right choice for OEA Region III Vice President. As a 19-year veteran and long time education advocate I have proven my mettle both as a teacher (I was in the first group of National Board Certified Music Teachers in Oregon and was successful the first try) and as an Association leader. During my term as president I saw Oregon's economy tank. I guided BEA members through lay-offs, severe budget cuts and lost days as well as mediation, an Unfair Labor Practice filed against my school district and a vote of no confidence in our Superintendent. One could say that I survived a trial by fire. This experience helps me to understand member concerns and gives me qualifications unique to the position.

Yes, OEA is in a season of change and with the right leadership we will grow stronger for it.

Joe Republican (Conservative)

This article has circulated through cyberspace a number of times but it still rings true today.

A Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican
by Donna L. Lavins and Sheldon Cotler

Joe gets up at 6:00 AM to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot with good, clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan. Because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast -- bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe takes his morning shower, reaching for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount that is contains because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and the breakdown of its contents. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree-hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer meets these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get worker's compensation or an unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should loose his home to temporary misfortune.

It's noon time. Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.

Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dad's; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by

Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification (those rural Republicans would still be sitting in the dark).

Joe is happy to see his dad, who is now retired. Joe's dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad, Joe gets back in his car for the ride home. He turns on a radio talk show. The host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day. Joe agrees, "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives. After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."

In the years to come, Joe's life will change dramatically. The U.S. dollar will be devalued as a result of our huge deficit, our living standards demolished, our standing with the world diminished and our social security gone...all because some conservative Republican made sure he could take care of himself and his buddies.

Aghast, I remain...

A LIBERAL SISSY

The Gift of Life

Today the Red Cross came to town for their quarterly blood drive. I'm always surprised by the number of people who turn out for the event. There are business people, U.S. Forest Service folks, retirees and, of course, educators. The favored time slot for school employees is between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. because most of us are finished at school around that time, or can get out early for an occasion like this. Since people are creatures of habit we often see the same people there at the same times from drive to drive (the 4:15 slot is my personal favorite!).

A plethora of retirees volunteer to keep the donors moving, organized and fed once our blood is drawn and local businesses often donate food for the cause (very popular for the school employees who are always hungry!).

This spirit of giving helps everyone. Genes, the blood technician who drew my blood today, reminded me that each unit of blood given can save 3 lives. Over a lifetime that adds up; I am approaching the 6-gallon mark and many donors have given even more. What an easy way to help someone in a life or death situation! Of course it doesn't hurt that there are usually homemade cookies on hand for donors and volunteers. It is a win-win situation.

So it is with OEA. The vast majority of our leaders are volunteers who work tirelessly trying to do something positive for members and communities. For our efforts we sometimes get the satisfaction of knowing that we made a difference for another member or for a student. It feels great to give!

The Center for Union Fiction

Why, oh why do people who supposedly value education continually bash unions like NEA and AFT? The "Center for Union Facts" is launching a multi-million dollar campaign against us and are going so far as to run a contest for the "Ten Worst Teachers in America." (see OEA's latest "Leader Letter" for talking points and check out the "CUF" website http://teachersunionexposed.com/ to see what they are really saying about us)

Clearly "CUF" finds us to be a threat for some reason because if they really cared about education they would be lobbying congress for better education funding, changes to ESEA and education reform that might actually help students learn. They would be demanding money to repair crumbling school buildings across the nation and investigating ways to improve teacher preparation courses at colleges and universities. Instead they are actively working to undermine education by attacking us.

We know something that they don't: in order to have a quality education system we need educators who are paid a fair salary, are physically safe where we work, are not afraid that wey will be terminated for no good reason or without due process and are highly qualified for the job we do. NEA and our state affiliates are in the business of protecting educators from injustices so we can work with students enthusiastically and with our whole hearts. OEA's Center for Teaching and Learning offers workshops of every kind to help us in our classrooms every day. And we are all indebted to the bargaining teams who work tirelessly to contracts that insure a fair salary and working conditions.

Long live NEA and OEA!

Oregon's Senior Senator

Ron Wyden is a great guy. He consistently votes in favor of legislation that strengthens public education and advocates for a national health care system that would insure everyone. He also listens to his constituents.

When he was first elected he promised to have an open meeting in every county in Oregon at least once a year and he has honored that promise with town hall meetings across the state. Happily today was Malheur and Baker Counties' day to shine!

Senator Wyden attended town hall meetings in Ontario and Baker City as well as an evening potluck with the Baker County Democrats. The only rules for his town hall meetings are 1) each person may ask one question and must wait to ask a second question until everyone else has had a chance to ask a question, 2) town hall meetings are for topics of concern for everyone, not for party rhetoric, and 3) even if a listener disagrees with his/her neighbor assault is heavily discouraged.

Being an education advocate and a political enthusiast I make it my business to attend these town hall meetings whenever I am able and to ask an education question if possible. Today I attended both events and was able to ask two questions.

First, I asked for his thoughts about restructuring ESEA in a way that has accountability for schools but doesn't put educators in a stranglehold, unable to teach anything but the test. Senator Wyden has worked with our State Superintendent Susan Castillo and advocates the model that she suggests. They helped a number of schools last year who had met AYP in all but one or two areas and only then missed it in those areas by a slight margin. Even though students showed great gains these schools were going to be designated as failing. He sees the need to retool ESEA and would be amenable to NEA's suggestions.

Second I asked when full funding for IDEA could be expected. Currently schools are funded at a mere 17% and the federal government is supposed to fund it at 40%. Who fills the gap? Local schools. Which budget funds this? The general fund. Senator Wyden responded that fully funding IDEA is expensive and worth every penny. And we can't expect it to happen until we have a major shift in foreign policy (e.g. we are out of Iraq). While his answer isn't the most pleasant it has the virtue of being realistic. He sees the need for fully funding IDEA, something that not everyone else does.

I'm grateful to have a hard working, progressive senator like Ron Wyden advocating for us. I am also hopeful that Steve Novick can join him soon!

PIE Recommendations

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, good PIE Convention! This was a wild weekend and as always there were surprises in store both for the candidates and for the delegates.

The Salem Convention Center provided an excellent backdrop for our festivities with a red carpet to greet us and a location close to the state capitol building to remind us about the task at hand. As always the OEA staff did a fantastic job of preparing delegates and taking care of all the details.

President Wolf started the convention on Friday night without a color guard as they were delayed due to an accident on I-5 (not in it, but caught behind it) but we continued with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star-Spangled Banner anyway. The reception to my singing was warm and once again it was gratifying to make a musical offering for the members of OEA. I was also very glad to have a voice healthy enough to sing after an extremely busy few weeks of campaigning and teaching.

Hearing the Congressional Candidates speak is always a thrill. David Wu, Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio know how to light up a room and "preach to the choir" in terms of education issues. Steve Marks and Kurt Schrader, candidates for Darlene Hooley's District 5 Seat, also made impressive speeches. Delegates recommended Kurt Schrader overwhelmingly in this contest.

On Friday night there were a record 12 hospitality suites for candidates! There was lively conversation between the candidates and delegates and tough questions were asked as well. Of course food and drink was plentiful and old friends enjoyed visiting together in between candidates' rooms. I was happy to have a room on the top floor; it allowed for a strategy of partying my way from the bottom to the top and then calling it a night! The hospitality suites are my favorite part of the convention, not because of the refreshments (which were exceptionally tasty in Salem) but because of the informal conversations they allow. More than once I've seen a candidate squirm or stick foot-in-mouth because someone asked a hard question that forced the candidate to show his/her true colors.

Saturday was scheduled to end at 5:20 but lasted past 7:00 because of a run-off election and the addition of a fourth Senate Candidate, David Loera, who was allowed to participate because he collected 25 signatures. OEA is truly a democratic organization!

I was surprised at the outcome of several races. For US Senate we recommended Steve Novick. I was amazed by this, not because he's a great candidate (his speech was by far the most passionate, IMO) but because he isn't the traditional politician. I'm thrilled as in my heart of hearts I was pulling for him despite the fact that Jeff Merkley, also an excellent candidate, seems more electable. We will find out how electable they both are in May. In the Secretary of State race the run-off was not between Vicki Walker and Kate Brown as I'd predicted (and been debating heavily in my own mind) but Kate Brown and Brad Avakian. The final total was separated by a mere 812 votes (of 84,585 possible). In PIE Convention terms that is a CLOSE race! Avakian is an impressive candidate as is Senator Rick Metsger. For us it was almost an embarrassment of riches when it came to the Secretary of State candidates. Each of them would do well in the office.

The State Treasurer's race was easy to call as Ben Westlund was the only candidate who had filled out his questionnaire and his opponent had only been announced the day before the convention. The Attorney General's race was a blow-out with John Kroger handily defeating Greg MacPherson. In terms of the PIE Convention the race for U.S. President is more of a "miss congeniality" title since OEA cannot contribute to the presidential race because of campaign finance laws. This year, as predicted, was a close call between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama with a substantial amount of votes for No Recommendation (my personal choice because of the amount of passion for one or the other and the fact that it is the NEA-RA who will officially make the recommendation for NEA). OEA recommended Obama. It will be interesting to see what Oregon says about these two candidates on our May 20 primary!

All in all it was a great conference and a testament to democracy. Congratulations, candidates! Delegates, well done!

PIE Convention Anticipation

I'm really looking forward to the OEA PIE Convention on March 7-8 in Salem. Not only is this a chance to meet the candidates and ask them tough questions it is a great time to see the political process at work. I also have the pleasure of singing the National Anthem on Friday night when the convention begins.

Already many of the candidates have been contacting UniServ offices and calling members directly. When I was at Redmond for the Cascade UniServ Council meeting on February 28 there were 4 candidates present. These folks didn't just call in, but traveled to Redmond to speak directly to council members. Columbia River UniServ has had call-in candidates as has Eastern Oregon UniServ. Many candidates are anxious to make a good impression on members and garner support. It is a testament to how much OEA is respected as a major player on the political scene and the difference that our members make.

The two races that seem the most difficult to call are the Secretary of State race and the race for the US Senate. I've already blogged at length about Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick and the fact that both are excellent candidates (I read in today's Oregonian that former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has endorsed Steve- a major coup for him!) and am still on the fence as to which one to support at this point. The speeches will make the difference.

The Secretary of State race is another one that is difficult for me because this year we are fortunate to choose between well-qualified candidates instead of the least-worst. I know little of Brad Avakian but one of my favorite former PIE Board members is thoroughly impressed with him and that is enough reason for me to pay closer attention to Brad and to his agenda. Kate Brown has done great things for us during her tenure in the Oregon Senate and is unquestionably a strong candidate. Vickie Walker has been stumping hard. She appeared in Baker City in January as well as calling our last UniServ meeting on February 22 (using her cell phone in a booth from the senate floor during the end of the session no less). She, too, has proven herself and clearly wants the job. I have heard little from Rick Metsger save for a letter to PIE Delegates but know that he, too, has been an OEA recommended candidate. It seems that whomever we recommend will be a good candidate and have the skills to make a difference in the Secretary of State's office.

In just a few days OEA members will flex their collective political muscles and Oregon will stand up and take notice. What a privilege it is to be a part of it!

NEA-Retired Oregon Recommends Judy T!

The NEA-Retired Oregon annual meeting was held March 3 in Salem. All of the OEA candidates were invited to speak or send others to speak on their behalf. Having visited with the NEA-R folks at their July 16 meeting I felt confident in sending two very competent and persuasive individuals to speak on my behalf: Barbara Gornick and Sharon Shannon.

Barb, a dynamic woman who has had a multitude of roles within OEA and NEA, has been a supporter for many years and spotted my leadership capabilities early in my career. She told me once that she knew I would be a BEA president when I sent a well-written but scathing letter to the executive board about a position they had taken. She and husband LeRoy, another strong Association member, have been through years of Association work and know what it takes to get the job done.

Sharon has been an OEA Board director, NEA-RA delegate, major fundraiser for the NEA Fund for Children and Education, TSPC panel member and local president. Besides having a strong math mind and being an excellent teacher Sharon has a knack for understanding people and what they want. She also understands the concept of finding and growing new leaders to keep the Association vibrant and relevant to our members.

I am proud to say that both of these strong Association members support me and represented me well at the NEA-R annual meeting in Salem, Barb by speaking before the group and Sharon by speaking with members one-on-one.

Thank you, NEA-R Oregon members for supporting my candidacy! Your members are a who's-who of Association leaders who recognize excellence and are skilled at reading the needs of educators everywhere and finding ways to meet them. Your recommendation means the world to me!

Congratulations, Milton Freewater EA!

After nearly a year of bargaining Milton Freewater EA reached a tentative agreement Thursday shortly after 12:30 a.m. It has been a long, hard haul for the group but they stayed strong and were united.

What happened to finally make the district move? According to bargaining chair Laurie Hackney and consultant Dave Fiore there were several factors. First, Larry Wolf and the strike assessment team arrived last week to determine the readiness of the group to strike. Members were united and had shown this through a series of pickets that included members from surrounding locals Pendleton EA and Athena Weston EA among others. This was a signal to the district that Association members were serious and would indeed walk out if the contract was not resolved and that these educators had support. Second, the full school board was in attendance during the last session. Apparently the bargaining team from the district included the 2 most conservative board members who were unwilling to move. When they had pressure from the remaining board members the district was willing to move. Finally, the mediator walked into the Association caucus unannounced during the talks and saw the time lines for strike on the whiteboard and must have reported back to the district that members were serious.

In an email Laurie Hackney said "It feels great to have it over. I didn't think that it would happen on Tuesday. I went in at 4:30 thinking that we would declare impasse by 8:00. But, our superintendent had our school board president call for an executive session so they were all there. Things started rolling pretty quickly, and we were able to get some huge concessions from them. "

But there is irony in the situation. Had the district been reasonable and made this offer last May the contract would have been settled right then and there. Why did everyone have to wait all these months to reach an agreement? Why did the district want to sit on a $6 M bank account yet leave educators underpaid and paying huge health insurance premiums? Power. The superintendent wanted to prove that she could control the Association members and that they would cave in at the first sign of trouble. Fortunately members stood up for their rights and made the district take notice.

A ratification meeting will be held later this week. The hope is that since the agreement is retroactive both for the salary increase and for the insurance increase that members will agree to the settlement.

Congratulations to the members of Milton Freewater EA! Thank you for standing up for yourselves and for members across the state!