In a July 10 letter about teacher representation on Local School Councils, Adela Coronado Greeley and Bernard Noven showed a surprising lack of understanding about the teacher elections in particular and the democratic process of our union in general. As a high school vice-president and member of the teachers union`s Executive Board I would like to shed a little light on this.
When a problem arises in many schools at once, the school delegates report it to the union leadership. Committees discuss these problems and look for solutions. Reports are sent to union president Jacqueline Vaughn. In addition, Mrs. Vaughn visits several schools a week where she talks directly with the teachers. Consequently, when she hears over and over that teachers on the LSC face pressure from parents and local community groups, Mrs. Vaughn and the entire Executive Board is leery of turning over the election of our two representatives to them. Mrs. Vaughn was correct in making the proposal she did.
Greeley and Noven stated that 9 out of 10 teachers they polled are against this method. I don`t know how many out of our 30,000 members. I was not one. I have never heard of their task force and I am a very active member of the union.
I would like to invite Ms. Greeley and Mr. Noven to become more active in our union and to join in its decisionmaking process. I think this would be better than trying to pass off their opinion as that of the majority.
