Volume 19, Issue 2
August 25, 2003
Representative Assembly Tackles Thorny Issues
An overflow crowd of building representatives met on
August 21 to deal with a wide range of issues. Among
topics discussed were the need for uniformity in standards
and objectives, magnet school waiting lists, multiple
concerns about the ELL program, and abuse of faculty
meetings.
TEA President Judy Beasley brings greetings as President Smith looks on. Also
pictured, Parliamentarian Erick Huth and
Secretary Jane Walling.
Vigorous debate is a part of the decisionmaking process.
Motions passed by the committee sent topics to
appropriate committees such as negotiations and
membership for actions. Several issues will be
discussed at the next Professional Council, a joint
MNEA / Administration problem-solving committee.
Be sure to thank your building representative for a
great job voicing your concerns!
Councilman-at-Large David Briley
reminds members of the September 11
election.
MNEA at Mayor’s First Day Festival
A happy crew of MNEA members and staff greeted students and parents on the Mayor’s First Day of
School Festival. They distributed booklets, pencils, erasers, candy, and a positive message to those they
met. Thanks to Judy Beasley, Melinda Culver, Nancy Holland, Julie Hopkins, Jamye Merritt, Ralph
Smith, Jane Walling, and your UniServ Staff. You were represented well.
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Access Cards Drawing Excitement
Every conversation that we have heard about the new membership cards, which are your access to
discounts at 73,000 businesses, is one of excitement. Even though the cards are not in members’ hands
for a few more days, those who have tried the site express their delight in the possibilities. We have only
experimented on a few zip codes. We would be pleased to hear from you when you actually start the
savings. We are confident that any member who uses the card will save more than the annual dues
amount. It may be hard to top Joe Roy’s saving $2400 per year in auto and home insurance, because Joe
is going to add to that total with his Access Card. He’s already researched the discounts available in his
Antioch ZIP code, and found more than three pages of listings! You can help other members by letting us
know where you’ve found success. Please begin running your own tests. Tell your potential members
what they’re missing if they don’t get it. You can’t afford not to be a member!
2002-03
TEA Newsletter Contest
Award of Distinction
Congratulations to Harry
McMackin, Managing
Editor of the 2002-03
Slate, for winning the
award of distinction in the
TEA Newsletter Contest!
The Slate is published during the school year by the Metropolitan
Nashville Education Association, an affiliate of the Tennessee
Education Association and the
National Education Association.
531 Fairground Court
Nashville, TN 37211
Phone: (615) 726-1499
FAX: (615) 726-2501
Ralph Smith, President
Jamye Merritt, Vice President
Julie Hopkins, Finance Officer
Jane Walling, Secretary
UniServ Coordinators: Forestine Cole, Gloria Towner, Jim Williams
A Humane Response
From Administration
MNEA has welcomed the new Assistant
Superintendent for Human Resources, Dr. June
Keel, with advance information that she is a fair
woman. We are happy to note that in a recent
case where a teacher was injured during a
Saturday fundraiser at his school, Dr. Keel
overruled the principal. She noted that being at the
event was an extension of the teacher’s
responsibility. MNEA filed a grievance, making the
point that teachers had been encouraged by the
principal to support the PTA’s effort, and working in
community projects is important in the teacher's
evaluation. Dr. Keel has ruled that this should be
considered an on-the-job injury. This is good for
all, in that teachers may participate in such
activities with the protection of the employer. The
teacher had been docked for two days to go for
medical treatment, and had paid for the deductible.
These are now to be reimbursed.
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I hereby authorize the local Board of Education or other employer to deduct from my paycheck annual dues for the United Education Procession
and political action contributions as indicated. Continuing members authorization will continue until revoked in writing to the local education association president and the business office of my employer. In the event of separation prior to final payment, I direct the remaining balance to be deducted from my last paycheck. I agree to hold the Board of Education or my employer harmless for these deductions. A local’s negotiated contract provisions and bylaws will prevail over any conflicting provision of this form.
**The National Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education collects voluntary contributions from association members and uses
these contributions for political purposes, including but not limited to, making contributions to and expenditures on behalf of friends of public education who are candidates for federal office. The local and state association political action committee performs similarly with local and state elections. Contributions to The NEA Fund for Children and Public Education and state and local PACE are voluntary; making a contribution is neither a
condition of employment nor membership in the Association, and members have the right to refuse to contribute without suffering any reprisal.
Although The NEA Fund for Children and Public Education requests an annual contribution of $15, this is only a suggestion. A member may contribute more or less that the suggested amount, or may contribute nothing at all, without it affecting his or her membership status, rights, or benefits
in NEA or any of its affiliates.
4% of TEA dues are to support candidates who support public education. The TEA Funds will be used for other purposes upon request. The
funds used for political support are not tax deductible.
Dues payments and contributions or gifts to The NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, or to state and local PACE, are not deductible as
charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.
Federal law requires political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in a calendar year.
Federal law prohibits The NEA Fund for Children and Public Education from receiving donations from persons other than members of NEA and its
affiliates, and their immediate families. All donations from persons other than members of NEA and its affiliates, and their immediate families, will
be returned forthwith.
____________________________________________
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MEMBERS SIGNATURE
DATE
LOCAL ASSN REPRESENTATIVE
From the
President
As I complete my first month as
your President, I am amazed
by the amount of time spent on many of the same
issues prior presidents dealt with.
Some examples:




Dress code for teachers. There isn’t one. If
you’re being told you cannot wear blue jeans, tennis
shoes, etc., you’re being given incorrect information.
Call us.
Faculty Advisory Committee. You need one, your
school needs one. If you haven’t had one for years,
now’s the time.
Payroll problems. Technology fixed everything,
right? If you need our help with a payroll issue,
we’re here.
Faculty meetings. We support necessary and
useful meetings. Excessive meetings with repetitive
and irrelevant content are causing us concern in
some buildings.
We’ll continue to work on these problems, and
others. You can help by letting us know where
problems exist and by giving us details and
documentation. Together, we may be able to fix
some things that have plagued us for years.
MNEA-PACE Makes A
Difference At Your School
When teachers see the news about neighboring
counties who are worrying about where and who
to cut from their budgets, they can be grateful
that Metro Council provided the funds for our
schools. But there is another step that many
may not see: getting people on Council who will
vote to fund the schools. Your tool to get that
done is MNEA-PACE, a separate legal body
made up of MNEA members. Once again, they
have successfully elected a favorable Mayor,
Vice-Mayor and Metro Council. Five district
seats and two at-large seats will be engaged in
runoff elections on September 11.
MNEA-PACE has personally
interviewed and questioned
candidates to determine their
recommendations.
Recommendations will be arriving in
your home mail soon. Please support
candidates favorable to funding
schools.
Attendance At August RA
Locations Represented
ANTIOCH HS
ANTIOCH MID.
BAILEY MID.
BASS MID.
BELLEVUE MID.
BELLSHIRE EL.
BINKLEY EL.
BORDEAUX EL.
BRICK CHURCH MID.
BUENA VISTA E.O.
CALDWELL
CAMERON MID.
CHADWELL EL.
CHARLOTTE PARK EL.
COCKRILL EL.
COHN (ADULT)
COHN (ALC)
COLE EL.
COTTON EL.
CRIEVE HALL EL.
CUMBERLAND EL.
DALEWOOD MID.
DODSON EL.
DONELSON MID.
DUPONT HADLEY
DUPONT TYLER
EARLY PAIDEIA
EAST MAGNET
FALL-HAMILTON EL.
GATEWAY EL.
GLENCLIFF EL.
GLENCLIFF HS
GLENN E.O.
GLENVIEW EL.
GOODLETTSVILLE MID.
GOWER EL.
GRA-MAR EL.
GREEN, ALEX EL.
GREEN, JULIA EL.
HARPETH VALLEY EL.
HARRIS HILLMAN SP.ED.
HARPETH VALLEY EL.
HARRIS-HILLMAN
HAYWOOD EL.
HEAD MID. MAGNET
HEARING IMP.
HERMITAGE EL.
HICKMAN EL.
HILL, H. G. MID.
HILLSBORO HS
HILLWOOD HS
HOMEBOUND
HOWE, CORA
HULL JACKSON
HUME-FOGG MAGNET
HUNTERS LANE HS
INGLEWOOD EL.
JACKSON EL.
JOELTON EL.
JOHNSON (ALT.)
JONES PAIDEIA
JOY, TOM EL.
KENNEDY MID.
KINDERGARTEN INCL.
KINGS LANE DESIGN
KIRKPATRICK MID.
LITTON MID.
MADISON PRE-SCH.
McGAVOCK EL.
McGAVOCK HS
McKISSACK
MEIGS MID.MAGNET
MOORE MID.
Mt. VIEW EL.
MURPHY ALT.
MURRELL SP.ED.
NAPIER E.O.
NEELYS BEND EL.
NEELYS BEND MID.
OVERTON HS
PARAGON MILLS EL.
PARK AVENUE EL. E.O.
PEARL COHN HIGH
PENNINGTON EL.
PSYCHOLOGISTS
RANDALLS LRNG. CTR.
RENAISSANCE HS
ROBERTSON ACAD.
ROSE PARK MID.
ROSEBANK EL.
ROSS EL.
SHWAB EL.
SOCIAL WORKERS
STANFORD MONT.
STRATFORD HS.
STRATTON EL.
SYLVAN PARK EL.
TULIP GROVE EL.
TUSCULUM EL.
TWO RIVERS MID.
VAUGHT, MID.
VISION
WEST END MID.
WHARTON MID.
WHITSITT EL.
WRIGHT MID.
Dates to Remember
Sept. 1
Sept. 9
Sept. 11
Sept. 12
Sept. 18
Labor Day
School Board meeting
Election Day
Pay Day
Rep. Assembly