A First-Time Delegate Reports
on the NEA-Representative Assembly
KEA member Jo Hanken, Sureño,
reported on her experience as a first-time delegate
to the NEA-RA in Dallas.
YEE-HAW!!
I arrived in Dallas on Saturday, June 29. As a new delegate, I knew I had a meeting the
following morning, so I was eager to get settled and get started. The Hyatt was my home for the
week, and although my meeting wasn’t until 10 the next day, I knew the time change might affect me
(my regular 5:30 wake up call was actually 3:30 AZ time).
SUNDAY, JUNE 30
As I wandered into Starbucks to get my morning coffee, I wondered what I could possibly learn
at this New Arizona Delegates meeting. Why did I have to spend two-three hours of my precious
exhibit hall cruising time in a meeting? Yee-haw, indeed! Fortunately, I did learn a few things. AEA
president, Penny Kotterman – from our own Kyrene district – explained some of the tricks of attending
the assembly. The most important one – at least if you want to save yourself from carrying pounds
and pounds of paper everyday – was to only take the materials relating to the business being done
THAT day.
I was totally unprepared for the constant request for $$$$$. As you know, or maybe you don’t,
our association works diligently for the causes of children and education. Part of that work is in
helping pro-children and pro-education candidates obtain political office. That PAC fund money has
to come from somewhere, and some of it comes from delegates who attend the RA. (Actually, RA
delegates raised well over $1,000,000 this summer alone!)
Our state at least makes this handout request a fun part of the state caucus meeting. Each
delegate has the opportunity to "buy" a state. That may not sound like much fun, but there is a very
important purpose to this. Each day you meet with your state liaison and exchange information on
how the states feel about various business items, amendments, etc. You also exchange gifts!!
Although I quickly learned why some states are “hot” purchases, by seeing the gifts from those
states, that really isn’t the reason for the liaison. As I said, it’s really to promote goodwill and
exchange information, but the gifts are a fun part of the goodwill exchange.
Since I grew up in Iowa, and attended two of the public universities there, I bought the state of
Iowa, and enjoyed meeting my liaison, who was also a new delegate to the RA. As an AZ delegate,
the first gift bag is provided by the AZ delegation – meaning it was already there for me. It came in a
canvas bag with a picture of AZ on it and was filled with information and items to represent the state.
The other gift bags from us to Iowa were provided by KEA. For this great exchange opportunity, I bid
$70 at the state auction, but some states sold for over $100. Each of our Kyrene delegates “bought”
a state and we met with delegates from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and my home state of Iowa
MONDAY, JULY 1
Now that everyone is checked in, it would seem we should be ready to go, right? Wrong! This
is actually a day off for delegates so they can attend caucuses (there are many, many special
caucuses: Women’s Caucus, Men’s Caucus, Peace and Justice, etc., etc.). You could spend most
the day in caucuses if you wanted.
The other thing that happens on this day is the meetings of the resolutions, legislative and
amendments groups. Anyone is welcome to attend any of these meetings, but since I hadn’t had a
chance to get to the convention center yet, I wandered over there to get my permanent credentials – I
had to be “adjusted” since I was registered as Jo Hamken. Then I was able to wander around the
exhibit hall. Wander I did, and when I had 3 bags full, I wandered back to the hotel to sort through my
goodies
TUESDAY, JULY 2 – THE BIG EVENT
This was what everyone came for – the Representative Assembly of NEA. The hall is indeed a
dynamic, frenetic place. If you have ever seen or participated in any of the national political
conventions, that is what it looks and feels like. The red, white and blue state signs are there with just
a slight twist on stage. Instead of huge posters of political candidates, there are huge education
stamp canvases outlining the stage. But don’t be confused by the late start time of 11:00, because
before you can attend the incredible opening ceremony, you go to the state caucus meeting. State
caucus is supposed to be from 7-9, ours was from 7-10, giving us just enough time to get to the
convention center in our black Dennis Van Roekel shirts. Because this was an election year – and
part of the excitement, especially for the AZ group – candidates could show up at any time and talk to
us. Since Dennis was running unopposed for NEA Vice President it made campaigning fun, we could
just watch and listen, knowing that Dennis was assured of his position.
The opening day is primarily a day of ceremony, although we do discuss amendments to the
NEA constitution. Because of the election year, the candidates for office gave speeches, and made it
quite evident that all the candidates were well qualified for the position they were seeking. There
were some difficult choices to be made.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
This is the day of REAL business and FUN!! This was truly the democratic process at work.
Knowing that ANYONE could submit a business item and then speak to it before the entire assembly
makes the NEA Representative Assembly the largest, and most democratic, deliberative body in the
world. The system is simple and effective. If a person wants to speak on any matter, they merely go
to the microphone, let the person there know that you want to speak, and he/she phones the podium
that you are in line to speak either for yourself or your delegation (the time limit is different for each)
and whether you are for or against, etc. It was an honor to see this process work time after time
(after time, after time – we debated 109 new business items as well as constitutional amendments
and bylaws – all using the same process).
If you have ever been to the AEA Delegate Assembly, it is similar, but not nearly as dramatic
or as exciting. But the point is, in both assemblies there is work to be done, and it is done in a
democratic process, which allows any representative to speak to the assembly and play a role in the
deliberations of our association. I don’t know of any other association where you can be so directly
involved in the direction and deliberations of your governing group.
This is also the day to vote! Each delegation has an assigned time to vote; this is to avoid the
obvious chaos that could occur if 9,000 delegates randomly decided to vote whenever they chose.
Your credentials are checked, along with another form of ID, you sign your name and cast your
ballot. Simple, quick, and better organized than voting in my local polling place.
THURSDAY, JULY 4 –INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Like many places in the US, we had a little Fourth of July celebration on the floor of the
convention center. It was lovely, but the true inspiration of the day came from the speakers of the
day. Both the current Teacher of the Year and a previous Teacher of the Year spoke to the assembly
and were absolutely incredible and inspirational. If everyone in America could hear these two speak,
they would understand why teachers do what they do, and why we are the professionals we are.
This was a great day, not only did we have more elections, but we finished early enough to
make plans for our own Independence Day celebration. Fortunately, for those in the AZ delegation,
one of the largest 4th of July celebrations in the US was happening within walking distance of our
hotel. Even better, by going out on the pool terrace we could watch all the fireworks that seemed to
be lighting the sky just beyond our reach.
FRIDAY, JULY 5
Unbelievably, this was the closing day for the NEA-RA. Like every other day this week,
breakfast started at 6:30 a.m., with the caucus business beginning at 7:00. Like every other caucus
day, we were asked for money. Like every other caucus day, as a group the KEA delegates put in
$5.00 each for the quarterback raffle. Only today, WE WON!!! Each of us benefited from wining the
largest pool of the week, and took home $50 each – for those of you who aren’t gamblers – that
means we doubled our money. Not bad, and a real gift since some of us – like me – had begun to
run a little short of funds, and still had to pay the taxi to get us to the airport in the morning.
This was a great day, we had a lot of work to do, and we listened to the new officers and the
host for next year, the City of New Orleans. We were adjourned well after 10 p.m. That’s when it got
tricky, our plane was leaving at 6:30 the next morning – do we stay up, or go to sleep, and hope we
get around in time to meet the rest of our group at 4 a.m. in the hotel lobby? I opted for sleep, and
yes, I made it downstairs to the lobby in time.
It was a wonderful week, and there was much, much more than I can tell you about in this
already lengthy journal. Every night there was something happening: the Human and Civil Rights
Award Dinner, Arizona Night, Friendship Night, 4th of July, and just having fun.
There were great places to have dinner – the Antares in the Hyatt, like the Compass Room in
downtown Phoenix, was fantastic. We tried a Mom and Pop Italian place one night and a Mexican
place another. Of course, the easiest thing was to eat right there at the hotel, but the adventure of
riding the DART (electric train) or taking the NEA shuttle to the Galleria was part of the fun.
Although I approached the RA with a mixture of excitement and dread (dread because I would
be gone an entire week – over the holiday) it was an AMAZING experience. I know I did not begin to
capture the excitement and importance of this event in this article, but I hope I piqued your interest. It
is truly the most democratic process I have ever been in or seen, even more so than the caucuses
and political conventions I have attended in the past.
Thank you to all my KEA colleagues who elected me to attend the RA. I will never again have
the slightest inkling of dread when it comes to attending this important event. It is truly a memorable
experience. It was an honor to represent you in Dallas, and I would love to do it again and again. If
not me, then why not you? It will be an experience you will never forget! Thank you again for an
incredible experience. I hope you have a wonderful year!
Jo Hanken
Professional Responsibilities Committee
Kyrene Middle School