K-12: National Education Association

K-12: National Education Association

      The National Education Association (NEA) is a nonpartisan professional organization. (Blank, Rolf K., et al. (1973): 79-92.) It consists of elementary and secondary school teachers, higher education faculty, education professionals, school administrators, and others interested in public education. The NEA, founded in 1857, is the oldest and largest U.S. organization dealing with public education. The organization’s headquarter is in Washington, D.C. The NEA has 51 state-level affiliates, of which one is a Federal Education Association. NEAs stated mission is “to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.” It is also concerned with wage and working conditions common to other labor unions. Its vision is “building great public schools for every student.”

Six fundamental core values guide and help NEA work and define its mission and vision: Equal Opportunity. NEA believes that public education is the gateway to opportunity. All quality education is the right of all students that develops their potential, independence, and character. The association believes in a Just Society. Through public education, self-respect, dignity, and equality of every individual achieved. The other principle is democracy. The public school provides individuals with the skills, information, and how to engage America’s representative democracy. Professionalism. NEA maintains the highest professional standards, hence expecting the status and respect due to all professionals. NEA believes in partnerships with parents, families, communities, and other stakeholders in providing quality public education. Unity of purpose. The association believes that individuals get strengthened when they work together for the common good.

Several aspects are relevant to the NEA, which include reforming No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). NEA pushes to increase education funding and discourage merit pay. NEA conducts events to support minority community and prevention in the number of dropouts. The union also researches how to lower the achievement gap, even pushing for reforming laws concerning charter schools—believing that public education is the gateway to numerous and equal opportunities. The NEA believes that all students have the right to a quality public education regardless of family income or place of residence.

The NEA union members enjoy a variety of benefits: members can win better pay and working conditions. Professional Development and regular leadership training. Insurance programs, such as life, health, disability, and casualty. The union members enjoy access to credit, loan, savings, investment, and discount services at affordable rates. The union members can get job liability insurance of up to $1 million. In case of a dispute related to the profession, the member receives robust and effective representation through our UniServ program—the membership concerns presented in state legislatures and the U.S. Congress.

Over the years, other alternative teacher associations have cropped up. However, most have given up the ghost beneath the NEA’ giant’. For instance, The National Association of Professional Educators (NAPE) was the first of the national alternatives to the NEA and AFT, formed in 1972 to mandatory unified membership. It was after many states had already established it voluntarily. Played a role in fostering The establishment of NAPE promoted by the trend towards unionism and the adoption of partisan political positions by the NEA. As NAPE Executive Secretary Philip Strittmatter has written, “…We do not criticize teachers for joining the unions if they want to do that. We are free to represent those educators who prefer a professional organization that does not get involved with radical social, political issues not related to the education of children.”

The NAPE’s basic principles, in addition to opposing strikes, are: Final decision-making must remain with all the people through their duly elected representatives. Students must have the right to an uninterrupted education. Educators must have free access to their employer and never be required to pay fees to any organization as a condition of employment.  In line with these principles, NAPE is more willing than most educational groups and independent associations, to accept whatever changes the public may wish to support, saying: “Our policies relate strictly to educational issues and demonstrate our commitment to professionalism and quality education. We don’t take sides on issues which the public has a right to decide about their schools…”

The other alternative is the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity. It also champions high-quality public education, healthcare, and public services for our students, their families, and our communities. Their commitment is to advance these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining, and political activism. The AFT was founded in Chicago at around 1916, with eight locals signing on as AFL President Samuel Gompers welcomed the union into its fold.

The federation is mainly in New York and many other Eastern States. The Conservatives are trying to get the word out: There are alternatives for Utah teachers who do not like the National Education Association. Even though there are only a few hundred in Utah, the AFT’s national membership is slightly less than half the NEA members. The conservative educators combine the AFT and the NEA because of their similarity in political views. The two unions are said to be building a merger.

The AFT passes resolutions on issues that affect members in different membership constituencies. It also addresses other national and international issues of importance to the union—most decisions given at the union’s biennial convention. The AFT executive council adopts resolutions. AFT convention takes place every two years and comes up with a “State of the Union” report. The AFT’s audited financial statements are posted each year on the AFT website, giving access to its members.

Senators Howard Stephenson and R-Draper champion for the Association of American Educators (AAE). The association based in California. The AAE is nominal and nonpartisan. It is attracting an increasing number of conservative educators and has featured in several traditional publications such as the newsletter of a well-known family therapist, James Dobson. The AAE President Gary Beckner began the association because he believed that while many teachers disagreed with the NEA, they had no choice to get out simply because of its liability insurance protection. Testimonials prove that several Utah teachers stay in NEA because of ng liability insurance.

The AAE provides liability insurance without spending dues on political lobbying. Members rest assured that the association will never lobby for political candidates or positions – conservative or liberal. Nevertheless, AAE does embrace conservative views. One of its primary system of belief is that education should improve students’ character as well as their intellect. The AEE does not engage in collective bargaining, and it is a professional association, not a union.

It is important to note that there are other dozens of State Independent Education Association across the U.S. that offer alternatives. Their main aim is to oppose compulsory membership, strikes, supporting public control of public schools, etc.

With the changes and challenges affecting the education sector, especially public schools, there is a need for having unions and associations to deal with emerging issues. Teachers across the nation desire that all recognize their profession, rights, and respect. They, therefore, need unions that will air out their concerns. For them to enjoy the benefits, they need to consider some key issues, such as the legal, organizational, procedural, and structural formation of the union. One should join a union at free will and not forced.

Works Cited

Blank, Rolf K., and Nina De las Alas. The Effects of Teacher Professional Development on Gains in Student Achievement: How Meta-Analysis Provides Scientific Evidence Useful to Education Leaders. Council of Chief State School Officers. One Massachusetts Avenue N.W. Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001, 2009.Dewing, Rolland. “The American Federation of Teachers and Desegregation.” The Journal of Negro Education 42.1 (1973): 79-92.

Hoxby, Caroline Minter. “How teachers’ unions affect education production.” The Quarterly Journal of Economics 111.3 (1996): 671-718.

Jerald, Craig D. “Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-Class Education.” National Governors Association (2008).

Kirkpatrick, David W. “Alternative Teacher Organizations. Evolution of Professional Associations. Policy Study No. 231.” (1997).

Monroe, Paul. The founding of the American public school system: A history of education in the United States, from the early settlements to the close of the Civil War period. Vol. 1. Macmillan, 1940.