Opening Bell

Opening B E L L

MEA-Retired earns national recognition

Maine Education Association Retired was granted three prestigious awards by the National Education

Association Retired at its recent virtual 37th annual meeting assembly. MEA-Retired Communications Committee Chairperson Jane Conroy of Dover-Foxcroft congratulates Web Administrator Pam Partridge The late Tom Curran of Raymond was recognized of North Anson for her work on the MEA-Retired website. with distinction as being the recipient of the coveted annual “Distinguished Service” award. During his retirement, Tom served on the Executive Council of the NEA-Retired for eight years, three years as its vice president, and six years as its president.

The MEA-Retired website earned “First Place” recognition among all states. The NEA-Retired award was given to Web Administrator Pam Partridge of North Anson.

The MEA-Retired bimonthly newsletter, The Clarion, was also awarded “First Place” recognition by NEA-Retired. The newsletter is edited by Kay Grindall of Oakland and delivered into the homes of nearly 5,500 retired educators around the state.

MEA ESP Wins Spot on NEA Board of Directors

Congratulations to RSU 71 EA member Gerry French who won a national office within the National Education Association! French will now serve as an AT Large ESP NEA Director. French is a bus driver in RSU 71 and as an ESP NEA Director he will serve as a liaison for other support staff employees around the country to ensure their views and issues are represented at the national level with the NEA. Through the NEA, MEA members have access to comprehensive lesson plans around social justice issues. Lesson plans are available for all grade levels. The purpose of the NEA Social Justice Lesson Plans is to share the stories of the NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards Recipients. Through the sharing of their stories, educators can help students identify traits of these exemplary social justice leaders. Bigger questions in social justice education can be examined and reflected upon. (e.g., What does a person who stands for social justice and human and civil rights do? What actions do they take? What are their contributions to society? How can I become a social justice and human and civil rights advocate? Why is it important and what does it mean to exhibit leadership for social justice?) Four anchor standards related to Social Justice Education identified by Teaching Tolerance, a project of The Southern Poverty Law Center (TOLERANCE.ORG), will also be addressed throughout the lessons plans. To access the lesson plans, visit the Maine Educator Online.

Big Win in Wiscasset

The Wiscasset Education Association (WEA) achieved a major victory when their 2019 arbitration award was upheld by the Maine Supreme Court. The arbitration centered around the issue of the district unilaterally adding four workshop days to the teachers’ work year.

The WEA Collective Bargaining agreement has a provision for teachers to attend 6 workshop days, in addition to the statutorily required 175 student days to constitute a work year for teachers. When the district sought a waiver of 3 student days from the Maine Department of Education, during the 2018 school year, the district claimed this waiver did not apply to staff, even though the Maine DOE advised the district the waiver applied to both students and staff of the SAU. The district instead moved forward with converting the student days to workshop days for teachers, despite MDOE guidance.

The WEA advised the School Board Chair and the Superintendent that their plan for additional workshop days violated the contract and asked the district to not require teachers’ attendance at the workshop days. The School District denied the Association’s request and maintained it was their prerogative to change those student days to workshop days without negotiation. The Association filed a grievance asking for four days pay for the additional four workshop days teachers were now required to attend. The grievance and arbitration were handled by local association leaders Susan Townsend and Brion Controvillas, with help from UniServ Director Rose Mahoney and MEA Director of Collective Bargaining and Research, CJ Betit.

The grievance filed and subsequent arbitration resulted in an award for the teachers in Wiscasset, requiring the district to pay each for the additional four workshop days worked. The Wiscasset School Department lawyers appealed this decision first to the Lincoln County Superior Court, and later to the Maine Supreme Court. The Arbitration award was sustained at both levels, and the Arbitration award and remedy for payment for four additional days of work has now been satisfied. Congratulations to the members of the Wiscasset Education Association.