Biography

Clinton McCracken (he/him) was elected in 2022 to serve as the President of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association. His passion has been to unite our membership in order to stand together to achieve gains through bargaining. During his first negotiations as President we gained PERCENTAGE raises. For years the District had paid a flat amount and created massive salary compression where experienced teachers barely made more than new teachers. The 9.7% raises for Highly Effective teachers was ratified with an overwhelming majority in favor. He also held strong against the insurance increases proposed by the District and mobilized members to fight against this in the impasse process, ultimately reducing the increases by half for the first year. Clinton has shared member communication is a priority and created the CTA Members Only Facebook Group in order to better assist members with their questions. He is committed to increasing the strength of our AR structure, fighting to enforce our Contract, and advocate in our community for a strong public education system. Clinton continues to advocate for members every day and is honored to be serving in this role.

Clinton graduated from Truman State University in 1996 with a BFA in Studio Art and then moved to Chicago where he worked in the marketing department at Recycled Paper Greetings. In 2000 he spent extended time with family in The Netherlands where he had an opportunity to serve as a substitute art teacher at The American School of The Hague inspiring him to be a teacher. After moving to Orlando he started substituting with OCPS and received a MA in Art Education from the University of Central Florida. Clinton has been an art teacher with OCPS since then. In 2011 Clinton wrote a proposal to create a Visual and Performing Arts magnet program at Howard Middle School and then served as the Magnet Coordinator until being elected as CTA President. 

Clinton is a tireless advocate for human and civil rights. In 2004 he and his [now] husband, Mike Palmateer along with three other same-sex couples sought marriage licenses at the Orange County courthouse. After being denied, they held a public commitment ceremony at Lake Eola to share vows while also bringing attention to the injustice of marriage inequality. It would take another 11 years for Marriage Equality to become law throughout the U.S. In 2011 Clinton became aware of discrimination within OCPS schools against LGBTQ+ individuals. After being told by the District bargaining team Lead Negotiator that sexual orientation wasn’t included in the nondiscrimination policy because the District wasn’t legally required to do so he began mobilizing friends and the OCPS community to lobby the School Board to add inclusive language to this policy. This two year effort resulted in “sexual orientation and gender identity/expression” being added. After this Clinton was also able to advocate for adding Domestic Partner benefits through the bargaining process. In 2019 Clinton again successfully lobbied the School Board to designate October as LGBTQ+ Awareness and History Month. 

Clinton served on the CTA Board of Directors from 2017 to 2022 as well as the Chair of the OCCTA Human and Civil Rights committee and the FEA HCR committee since 2017. He has also served on the Bargaining Team since 2017 and helped negotiate numerous Working Conditions and Salary improvements since then. Significantly, through Clinton’s work, all OCPS visual and performing arts teachers are now eligible for an annual supplement for evening and weekend work such as concerts, recitals, and art shows. Clinton served on the Howard Middle School Faculty Advisory Committee from 2003-2022. He has been an active and dedicated CTA member and devotes tireless energy to ensuring the union is a powerhouse for teachers. Clinton coordinated the CTA Pride Parade entry for many years and has worked with the CTA Minority Affairs committee to coordinate entries in the MLK Parade, Puerto Rican Parade and he also initiated the CTA Black History Month Art Contest.

Clinton has received numerous local, state, and national awards for his teaching, advocacy, and leadership in education. These include 2022 National Teacher of the Year (MSA), "Distinguished Leader in Central Florida" in 2024 by Congressman Darren Soto, Equality Florida’s Voice for Equality Award, Florida Education Association's Human and Civil Rights Award, Arts Schools Network Emerging Leader Award, the Grand Bohemian Excellence in Teaching Art Award, and Howard Teacher of the Year. In 2020 Clinton was one of three teachers selected by the National Education Association to submit written testimony to Senator Durbin and the Senate Judiciary Committee about growing up gay and the potential impact of the proposed Equality Act. His testimony was submitted into the Congressional Record March 2021. In 2021 Clinton was recognized by the Orlando Sentinel as one of “10 people who make Orlando a better place to live.” Clinton is a member of American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. During his free time Clinton enjoys creating oil pastel drawings, traveling, and spending time with his husband, Mike.