I want to take this opportunity to encourage members and non-members alike to review the SWVEA Constitution......there are two versions. The older version was correctly reviewed, revised and voted upon by the entire membership. The newer version was written by one person with no opportunity for the membership to provide input, people were forced to vote and victory was declared.
Reading and understanding the documents is not hard. A Constitution or set of Bylaws is designed to guide an organization through the daily business. It is NOT a document that is busywork or to be ignored. Without rules to guide an organization it is very easy for one person to do underhanded things to benefit only one person. AND if the members of an organization bury their heads in the sand they are going to LOSE OUT! In the case of SWVEA this is probably your hard-earned money.
I URGE you to become knowledgeable. I URGE you to ask questions. Even here in this blog. ASK, ASK, ASK.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
What Next?
Well, I was hoping that people would start commenting and adding to this blog. All are welcomed, all are encouraged to speak up without fear of retribution.
Let me put it in this perspective. We live in a land of laws, laws that we help to make either directly or through our representatives. When someone accepts the responsibility of representing a body of members then that person should do just that-represent. It is not an opportunity to take or to wield power. It is not an opportunity to make decisions that benefit the representative. It is an opportunity to speak for many and for interests of many. It is an opportunity to listen to the members. It is an opportunity to educate and make the members knowledgeable about the very rules that govern the association.
This is true of officers as well as representatives. Officers are not in place for their own benefit or for their own power. Officers are there to help the organization run for the benefit of its members.
It's time to take a closer look at how our association is being run. The first issue should be to demand a look at the audit.
Let me put it in this perspective. We live in a land of laws, laws that we help to make either directly or through our representatives. When someone accepts the responsibility of representing a body of members then that person should do just that-represent. It is not an opportunity to take or to wield power. It is not an opportunity to make decisions that benefit the representative. It is an opportunity to speak for many and for interests of many. It is an opportunity to listen to the members. It is an opportunity to educate and make the members knowledgeable about the very rules that govern the association.
This is true of officers as well as representatives. Officers are not in place for their own benefit or for their own power. Officers are there to help the organization run for the benefit of its members.
It's time to take a closer look at how our association is being run. The first issue should be to demand a look at the audit.
Monday, June 14, 2010
SWVEA Annual Meeting Review
Well, the annual meeting has come and gone. There was a decent group there. Could have been more but I don't think that the officers have made the members feel very welcome. They never visit other schools or programs. But I hope that will change.
I asked if any of the members present had received the proposed budget prior to the meeting as is called for in the constitution. Nobody had received it. The excuse was that it just hadn't been done in recent years. Many budget lines were questioned but it was difficult to understand the budget because it was hand written and there was no information on what was budgeted last year and what was actually spent. My strong sentiment is that the Negotiations Committee members certainly need to be given a stipend much higher than $175 a year.
I also asked if the yearly audit had been done as is called for in the constitution. The claim was that it was being worked on. There was no information on who was doing the audit. I find that this is hard to believe because there hasn't been an audit done in at least six years. Where is our money going??????
I was very relieved to hear that some (only some) of the Unit Representatives ran a proper vote. They ensured that only Association members voted and that the ballots were securely kept. That is not the case in all organizations and the EEE people and Plus/Step didn't get to vote at all.
I asked if any of the members present had received the proposed budget prior to the meeting as is called for in the constitution. Nobody had received it. The excuse was that it just hadn't been done in recent years. Many budget lines were questioned but it was difficult to understand the budget because it was hand written and there was no information on what was budgeted last year and what was actually spent. My strong sentiment is that the Negotiations Committee members certainly need to be given a stipend much higher than $175 a year.
I also asked if the yearly audit had been done as is called for in the constitution. The claim was that it was being worked on. There was no information on who was doing the audit. I find that this is hard to believe because there hasn't been an audit done in at least six years. Where is our money going??????
I was very relieved to hear that some (only some) of the Unit Representatives ran a proper vote. They ensured that only Association members voted and that the ballots were securely kept. That is not the case in all organizations and the EEE people and Plus/Step didn't get to vote at all.
Monday, June 7, 2010
SWVEA Annual Meeting June 8 @ Bennington Station
Once again the staff of Mount Anthony Union Middle School, Mount Anthony Union High School, Molly Stark Elementary School and area counselors have impressed me beyond words. Tragically, students at MAUMS and Molly Stark along with their mother and her boyfriend were killed in a car crash early Sunday morning. A sister who is a freshman survived.
The staffs of all of the schools stepped up to ensure that their students could process and grieve together. We have all cried and laughed together today.
This is a staff who deserving of the very best union to be had. Please join us for the Annual Meeting. Be informed, ask questions.
The staffs of all of the schools stepped up to ensure that their students could process and grieve together. We have all cried and laughed together today.
This is a staff who deserving of the very best union to be had. Please join us for the Annual Meeting. Be informed, ask questions.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
SWVEA Annual Meeting
The word is that lots of members are planning on attending the annual meeting on June 8. The advertised time is 3:00 at the Bennington Station. This is not a good time to start the meeting because the elementary school teachers contractually cannot leave work until 3:30. Don't worry, those of us who start earlier in the day and can be there at the 3:00 time won't let any meeting be called to order until the elementary teachers are there.
I am delighted that so many plan to attend. This is our association and we need to take an interest. I know that it is hard when there are so many demands on you but this is our livelihood.
I have heard that our leadership constantly complains that VT-NEA does nothing for us. What exactly would you like them to do? They are listening. And keep this in mind. Without the efforts of VT-NEA we would have to pay a LOT more for health insurance and we would not have a retirement fund at all if VT-NEA hadn't made the commission listen. Well VT-NEA and the 'van from Bennington'. Kudos to those retirees from Bennington who made the trip to Montpelier to speak up.
See you on Tuesday!!!
I am delighted that so many plan to attend. This is our association and we need to take an interest. I know that it is hard when there are so many demands on you but this is our livelihood.
I have heard that our leadership constantly complains that VT-NEA does nothing for us. What exactly would you like them to do? They are listening. And keep this in mind. Without the efforts of VT-NEA we would have to pay a LOT more for health insurance and we would not have a retirement fund at all if VT-NEA hadn't made the commission listen. Well VT-NEA and the 'van from Bennington'. Kudos to those retirees from Bennington who made the trip to Montpelier to speak up.
See you on Tuesday!!!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
An Interesting Question
An interesting question was asked of me today. "Why didn't you raise your questions when you were on the executive board?" That's a legitimate questions and one that I'm happy to address.
When I became a unit representative I attended the board meetings regularly. A constitution/bylaws document should have been given not only to me but to every SWVEA member. However, that document was not given out. In fact, I was not aware that there was one available until near the end of my second term. Ignorance is my fault. I had to request several times that a copy be given to me and it wasn't until the last day of school that I received one via interoffice mail.
At that point I began studying the document and found many, many instances where the constitution was being ignored. Many would say "So what?" Imagine what would happen if we treated the US Constitution in that manner. These are our guideline for our association. It places restrictions on actions so that the rights of all are protected.
Why would we let people run roughshod over our rights? We cannot be bullied. We can attend the June 8 meeting and start asking questions. We cannot teach our students respect for the laws of the land yet ignore our own association rules. We cannot teach our students that it is important to be participants in their own government yet bury our heads in the sand in our own association. Be active, be informed, be involved even if it's in a very small way. You are valuable.
When I became a unit representative I attended the board meetings regularly. A constitution/bylaws document should have been given not only to me but to every SWVEA member. However, that document was not given out. In fact, I was not aware that there was one available until near the end of my second term. Ignorance is my fault. I had to request several times that a copy be given to me and it wasn't until the last day of school that I received one via interoffice mail.
At that point I began studying the document and found many, many instances where the constitution was being ignored. Many would say "So what?" Imagine what would happen if we treated the US Constitution in that manner. These are our guideline for our association. It places restrictions on actions so that the rights of all are protected.
Why would we let people run roughshod over our rights? We cannot be bullied. We can attend the June 8 meeting and start asking questions. We cannot teach our students respect for the laws of the land yet ignore our own association rules. We cannot teach our students that it is important to be participants in their own government yet bury our heads in the sand in our own association. Be active, be informed, be involved even if it's in a very small way. You are valuable.
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