OEA RA, April 16 Afternoon (4th Report)

Live report 3 from the OEA RA…

Saturday, April 16 in the afternoon…#4

Re-authorization of ESEA – Elementary and Secondary Education Act – new business item asks that OEA President and our congressional delegates need to write letters regarding the conditions which should go with re-authorization, such as adequate funding and not tying teacher evaluations to standardized testing.

OEA will hold another symposium to invite people to OUR table to talk about education on our terms. More info soon.

New business item re healthy environmental conditions in our schools – provide educational information about impacts about environmental pollution in school buildings. This impacts us. The OIT Building has a mold problem, for example.
Proposal to have a one-day walk-out – questions involved included potential legal costs from resulting litigation. This one is potentially illegal. The new task force for strategic action gives us a means to do the same thing, legally.
New business item urges OEA to become a sponsor of “Save Our Schools” march and National Call to Action Conference. This item was passed.

615 delegates present this afternoon.

We’ve finished all our official business. Tonight, there’s a banquet (no cost to delegates) with entertainment provided by the Jefferson Dancers. Under Gail’s, and Hanna’s, leadership, we got the business done quickly and with little rancor or disagreement. I think it’s because of ALL the behind the scenes work they did leading up to the RA.