NEA Today-Retired June 2021

SPECIAL SECTIONS

First and Foremost

U.S. Schools Need an Infrastructure Upgrade
U.S. public schools get a D+ on an infrastructure report card. How the American Rescue Plan Act could help.

Modernizing Civics Education
The Educating for American Democracy project (EAD), a diverse collection of academics, historians, teachers, school administrators, and state education leaders, is proposing major changes in the way civics and history are taught in U.S. public schools. To help make this happen, the group is calling for a major investment of funds, a content overhaul, and more professional development for teachers.

The effort comes after a 50-year erosion of civics education in K–12 schools. The federal government now spends only 5 cents per student per year on civics, and according to EAD, fewer than a quarter of U.S. eighth graders score as proficient in the subject on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

“Dangerously low proportions of the public understand and trust our democratic institutions,” says Louise Dubé, executive director of iCivics, a non- profit civics education oganization founded in 2008 by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. “Majorities are functionally illiterate on our constitutional principles and forms. The relative neglect of civic education in the past half-century—a period of wrenching change—is one important cause of our civic and political dysfunction.”

Learn more at educatingforamericandemocracy.org.

Thinking Differently
“Terms like ‘learning loss’ or ‘COVID slide'...are deficit-oriented, they diminish our students and paint an inaccurate picture of how deep and purposeful learning occurs. We propose a positive framing that recognizes students’ strengths and stirs imaginative thinking about how to overcome the extraordinary obstacles we face.”

—From "Learning Beyond COVID-19: A Vision for Thriving in Public Education by NEA and the American Federation of Teachers
 

Recess During the Pandemic: More Important Than Ever
Physical distancing may be a challenge, but recess and other opportunities for play are essential for children to recover from pandemic-related trauma.

Parents Expect Schools To Be Safe This Fall
According to a March survey by Parents Together, a family advocacy group representing more than 2.5 million parents across the country, parents—regardless of income—are still concerned about the safety of total in-person learning. The poll found that 78 percent are “worried” and 38 percent are “very worried” about the COVID-19 health risks of their child attending school in person.

Still, most were optimistic that their child’s school would be able to provide a safe environment by the beginning of the 2021 – 2022 school year. And one year into the pandemic, a majority of parents feel favorably towards teachers (70 percent).

Sharp Drop in Pre-K and Kindergarten Enrollment
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decline in public school enrollment across the country, a departure from recent trends. The sharpest declines—up to 30 percent—have been in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.

According to an analysis by The Hechinger Report, many families chose from a “haphazard array of alternatives” to in-person early-learning programs. Some chose to skip the school year entirely, while others homeschooled or hired private tutors for their children. Because skipping or delaying kindergarten can disrupt a child’s emotional and physical development, experts say that first-grade teachers may face a wide readiness gap among their students—and it will likely go beyond academics.

DEPARTMENTS

A Note from the NEA-Retired President
Join us at the 2021-Virtual Annual Meeting!

President's Viewpoint
We are moving toward our vision for just and equitable schools.

Member Spotlight
Art Tanderup: Another Opportunity to Teach
Art Tanderup is a retired educator from Naper, Nebraska working to change the political environment.

THE BULLETIN BOARD

Feeding the Hungry
Last year, in the midst of the pandemic, Federal Education Association member Karen Rose co-founded “KARE—Kids at Risk Empowered,” to help children who are experiencing homelessness in her city of Pendleton, Oregon. Working with city leaders and school counselors, KARE identified as many as 75 children in need and provided them with clothing, hygiene products, shelter, and food. Keep up the good work, Karen!

Speaking Up for Teacher Retention

When two “rock star” teachers at Alaiedon Elementary School, in Mason, Mich., quit under the strain of the pandemic, the school’s principal, Shana Barnum (right), started thinking about how to retain educators amid a global health crisis.

An MEA-Retired member and former union building representative, Barnum had two big ideas:

The first was to offer an extra year of retirement service credit to teachers who stayed through a school year during the pandemic; the second was to enact statewide legislation to waive evaluations, which compound stress.

She started pitching her ideas and captured the attention of her state senator, Curtis Hertel (D-Mich.), who said he was intrigued by Barnum’s retirement credit idea and was already working with Democratic lawmakers on bills related to evaluations. Let’s hope these needed changes take root as schools begin the long process of pandemic recovery.

—MICHIGAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

Tutoring Students in Need

You could call Ed Anderson the “resident teacher” in his Doraville, Ga., neighborhood. A Georgia Education Association-Retired member and former science teacher, Anderson (right) provides educational support services and community-building events for students who need after-school tutoring, helping students move up to grade-level proficiency in literacy and science.

“I find it very rewarding,” says Anderson, who does this work through a community outreach program. “About 90 percent of the students are learning English as a second language, and the programs have been well received by both the kids and parents.”

Once the pandemic hit, the program held daily virtual sessions, including yoga, healthy relationship skills, safe quarantine activities, and homework help.

“I see more of the barriers that students face, both at home and at school,” Anderson says. “Seeing those barriers should encourage all of us to really see the needs and serve the community.”

—CAROLYN CRIST, GEORGIA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

WHY I’M A MEMBER

My Union Opened Doors for Me

When I began my teaching career, educators’ unions were just getting started in my home state of Wisconsin, and I immediately joined the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). Soon the infamous teach- ers’ strike began in nearby Hortonville, but veteran teachers advised us young teachers to stay away to protect our job security. So I missed my first opportunity to advocate for my colleagues, something I still regret. Since then, I have marched in many other job actions and will continue to march to support my fellow educators.

My union membership made me abundantly aware of the impact the government has on our children’s education as well as on my working conditions and salary. It’s also how I first became politically involved. Eventually, I would go on to serve as chair of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County and then of the 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin.

I owe everything to the support and training I received from NEA and WEAC leaders and staff. The NEA annual Representative Assembly (RA) and Conference of Women and Minorities taught me a lot. And I served as president of the Demo- cratic Caucus at the RA for several years, gaining insights into educa- tors’ activism nationwide.

When I think of what this organization has done for me throughout my career, I cannot imagine a better place to offer my time and energy.

These are some of the reasons I serve as president of my local and contribute generously when my union calls.

Every educator should consider supporting NEA’s political action committee, called the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, and contributing to or volunteering for candidates who support public education.

One of my favorite ways to donate is the silent auction held each year at the Retired Annual Meeting. At last year’s virtual event, I won a pair of red boxing gloves! To me, they symbolize our collective fight for great pubic schools, and remind me that we are stronger together.

TALK BACK

Toxic Positivity Takes a Toll
I wish we had a different label for this. I agree that never acknowledging that things are really difficult is a bad thing but also it can go south really quickly when just one person starts a grievance list. Especially with my students, I acknowledge that everyone is stressed

…But I also tell them that there are ways to cope, things you can do to improve situations, if not for yourself but for someone else.

We can choose to walk away from toxic grousing. It’s quite another thing to be required by a job contract to remain in a space where positivity is forced upon one. I may be mature enough to not let my body language reveal my disgust at forced positivity, but people need to understand that when one has actual real reasons to be not happy, having someone try to force us to act happy backfires. —TERRI