President’s Letter

MEA PRESIDENT'S LETTER

"

We need for ALL of us to be

ACTIVISTS. We need everyone to

ACTIVELY ANSWER the call to

ACTION. Look at the progress that has been made over the past twelve months—because of the activism of members! " A is for Activist By: Susan Verde

Recommended Reading

Well, my recommendation is actually a board book.

For toddlers.

My granddaughter has amassed a collection of books that nearly rivals in quantity the number of books that I have on my shelves (and in piles on various other surfaces!). She has been enthralled with books almost since she was born just twenty months ago. And while certainly my new favorite book is “How to Babysit a Grandma”* (a gift she recently gave me), while visiting her recently I spied a book that I thought I should recommend to all MEA members: “A is for Activist”**. On the first page, it states that “A is for Activist” and also for “Advocate”, and “Abolitionist”, and “Ally”. “Actively Answering A call to Action”. (It’s a different sort of alphabet book, by the way!)

When I saw it, I thought: that is exactly what we need now, more than ever! We need for ALL of us to be ACTIVISTS. We need everyone to ACTIVELY ANSWER the call to ACTION. Look at the progress that has been made over the past twelve months—because of the activism of members! And though it was a good number of you who did ‘answer the call’, it was still only some members, not yet all. Now it is time for ALL members to do so—when we all do, imagine the positive change we can make for our professions and for our students! We are in the midst of the legislative session, and even though it is a ‘short’ session, there is lots to do—raise the minimum wage for our invaluable support professionals, increase support for our deserving retirees, reduce the burden of student loans, increase funding for our pre-K through higher ed public education system, and last but not least, strengthen the power of educators’ voices.

Our #RedforEd days last year were successful—they certainly contributed to the progress made. This year we are calling on all of you to Actively Answer the call to Action, not only during #RedforEd days, but also at school board meetings, at March elections and caucuses and town meetings, at budget hearings and votes, at June primaries—wherever and whenever there are decisions being made that directly-or indirectly-affect our work with our students and impact our professional and personal lives.

In closing, here are a few more quotes from the suggested reading—you can probably guess my favorite letters in this alphabet!

“G is for Grassroots…Stronger together—we Grow.”

For the letter O: “Open minds Operate best. Critical thinking Over tests. Wisdom can’t be memorized. Educate! Agitate! Organize!” And the best letter: “U is for Weekends. U is for Workers’ Rights! Wait. That’s not U, that’s DOUBLE U. U is for Union. Union yes!” I would just recommend one edit to the author: M is for the Maine Education Association and its Magnificent, Munificent, Meritorious Members!

*"How to Babysit a Grandma", by Jean Reagan **"A is for Activist", by Innosanto Nagara