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BEA Line - April 2018
Words from the Prez: As I reflect on the past several weeks, I am full of mixed emotions. I feel frustrated, angry, exhausted, confused, and overwhelmed. I replay the days and weeks and wonder how things could have played out differently. I’ve grown. I’ve learned. I’ve become a stronger person. I’ve developed a new passion for advocacy and lobbying. I am incredibly proud to have stood with some of the most amazing teachers and public education advocates in Oklahoma. Bartlesville’s teachers showed up day after day at the capitol and in Bartlesville to fight for our profession and our students. You took long bus rides, spent your own money for gas and hotels, you stood along the roads in Bartlesville, you waited in line for hours to get inside the capitol, you researched, you asked questions, you fought tirelessly for public education. You made a difference and I could not be prouder to call you my co-workers and friends. We made progress TOGETHER. We took a first step-forward TOGETHER. We stood TOGETHER, and our voices were heard. There is still much work to be done. Like me, I know you are frustrated, angry, exhausted, confused and overwhelmed. Let’s hold each other up and continue to push forward. TOGETHER we truly are stronger. It was an honor and privilege to stand with you this year. Heather Boyle BEA President |
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BEA Line (4-18).pdf
February 16th - Letter From Granger Meador
BEA Members, The time for action has arrived. We need your help and support. Please read the email below from former BEA chief negotiator, Granger Meador. We are extremely fortunate to have an administration that is supportive and ready to act. Invite your non-BEA member colleagues. We need to PACK the board room on Monday night. Colleagues: You rose to the occasion on Monday and fought for us at the capitol. I am asking you to lead once again. I need you to show up on Monday night at the school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. I need you there for public comment and to stay through the legislative update to show support to our board and the news media for shutting down schools across the state, probably next week, to prevent yet another school funding cut ($22 million cut to schools has passed joint committee and goes to the floor next week; Bartlesville would be cut about $110,000). We must force the legislature to compromise and fully fund the agencies while providing teachers with a $5,000 pay raise and no dirty tricks like cutting retirement or health benefits. If we quit now, all is lost. Chuck will be sharing with the board during the update the results of a survey he has sent to all 6A, 5A, 4A, and 3A superintendents to gauge how many and their boards are also ready to walk. There are many ready to join us! The board won’t be able to vote to shut down on Monday, but we can lay the groundwork for an emergency meeting to do so once the various districts like ours agree to go. I walked into the board room for the first time in April 1990, during my first year of teaching. It was packed and hot with teachers. HB 1017 was on the ropes at the capitol with no emergency clause passing for it to take effect. I listened as the board heard public comment from the teachers. Finally Supt. Toothaker recommended that the schools not open, citing safety concerns because too many outraged teachers were calling in sick. The board suspended school, the teachers cheered, and on April 16, 1990 thousands of teachers descended on the capitol to demand action. I picketed daily for the rest of the week at the Community Center with my fellow teachers. Once HB 1017 was on its way to Governor Bellmon we resumed work after 5 days out. We made up the lost time at the end of the 1989-1990 school year; today we could convert to minutes and legally not have the students make up the time, and the district will find a way to ensure teachers are still fully paid. 28 years ago, through brave collective action, teachers like this rookie pushed HB 1017 through, and for 20 years we and our students benefited from its salary increases, increased standards, class size limits, textbook funding, etc. Since 2008 all of that has been destroyed. Things are far more dire now than they were in 1990. It is time for veterans like me to rise to the occasion once again and pay it forward for the next generation of teachers and students. Some of us are veterans, some of us are rookies. But we ALL must stand together NOW and lead. We must be brave and strong, willing to shut down our schools to save them. Our board and the media need to see and hear your support. Please come out Monday at 5:30, and bring every other teacher you can. We need to overflow the board room Monday night and be standing-room-only in the auditorium. The board and the administration are on the teachers’ side, but as always, only the teachers can make this happen. It is time to lead. Granger |
January 2018 - Words From the Prez
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fantastic and restful
break.
We have two important meeting coming up and I hope that many
of you can find time in your schedules to attend. On January 17,
Mr. McCauley will be joining us for a time of conversation and Q
and A. Please bring your questions, comments, and concerns. On
January 24th Earl Sears, Travis Dunlap, and Julie Daniels have
agreed to meet with us (they want us to know, however, that
should they be called to session early they will not be able to
attend). Both meetings will be held in the Wayside library
starting at 4:15. I will send Outlook invites and will make
location adjustments if it looks like we will not have enough
space.
Please plan on attending. We need our voices to be heard! Heather Boyle
BEA President |
December 2017 - Words from the Prez
During the coming Holiday season
may you be blessed with the spirit of the season,
which is peace, the gladness of the season, which is
hope, and the heart of the season which is love.
-An Irish Blessing
I hope the next few weeks go smoothly for each of you
as you tackle the many things that must be done
before your much needed and deserved winter break.
May your time off be filled with rest, relaxation, fun,
family, peace, hope and love! Heather Boyle
BEA President |
November Words From the Prez
I’ve been reading all the “Thankful” posts that have started appearing on my
Facebook page this November. I enjoy reading them and I know that
expressing gratitude is a great way to stay positive and focused on the things
in life that really matter. For years, I’ve made it a habit to reflect each day
on at least three things I’m grateful for or that were positive that day. As
I have watched the special legislative session unfold, I’ve become increasingly
frustrated and even very negative about the state of public education in
Oklahoma. While I believe these feelings are certainly justified (and they
keep me motivated to continue fighting for teachers and students), I thought
I would try to come up with three things I’m thankful for professionally.
1. I work for a truly amazing school district with an administration and
school board that are incredibly supportive.
2. My co-workers are fantastic, dedicated professionals who go above
and beyond daily for their students.
3. I teach first grade so at least one really funny or touching thing
happens to me daily. Not long ago I got a big hug from a student who
inhaled deeply and exclaimed, “I love how you smell. You smell just like
my grandma’s car”.
Thanksgiving Break is just around the corner! Enjoy your break and take
some time to reflect on the positive things.
Heather Boyle
BEA President |
Words from the Prez - October 2017
We have some terrific speakers/professional development planned for this school year. Please mark your calendars and try to attend our monthly BEA meetings. We would love to see you! October 11-Jeanne Owens/OEA Topic: Inspiring Teachers November 15-Melissa Kaltenbaough/OEA Topic: Advocacy December 6-Holiday Celebration at Senor Salsa January (Date TBA)-We have invited our local legislators to meet with us February 7-Bill Guy/OEA Topic: Contacting Your Legislators March 7-Ivy Riggs/OEA Topic: Legislative Update May (Date TBA)-Retirement/End-of-the-Year Celebration Have a Great Fall Break, Heather Boyle BEA President |
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