Where am I?

To: Missouri NEA Friends & Supporters

I've heard comments from a couple of people in MNEA land that they haven't seen me much out on the campaign trail. There is one fundamental reason for this: I have a very busy full-time job as local president in our state's largest school district. As full-release president, I serve as the main advocate and representative for all our individual members and, on contractual issues, our local represents an 1,800-member bargaining unit. It's tremendously important and gratifying work, but it's very time consuming - and unfortunately, it does not provide me with the opportunity to travel the state campaigning within the context of my job.

The issues I'm dealing with on a daily basis - employee/employer relations, job actions, professional development, new teacher evaluations, teacher autonomy in the classroom, student discipline issues, administrative support for teachers, special education issues - are the same issues that are being addressed (or perhaps ignored) in your district.

One thing I'd like to clarify as a candidate: I did not enter this campaign as some kind of MNEA "insider", making promises or attempting to maintain the status quo based on perceived lines of succession. I'm actually working everyday with teachers, school secretaries, school nurses, paraprofessionals, MNEA staff and management, school administrators, union leaders, legislative candidates - you know, the people who work with students and teachers and in our communities - and advocate for public education. Without this kind of "on the ground" work, I wouldn't consider myself a suitable candidate for the position of Missouri NEA president.

I want to assure all MNEA leaders and delegates that, while most of my time is still focused on getting work done at the local level, I am excited about my campaign for MNEA president and have received some wonderful endorsements and contributions from members across the state.

I look forward to seeing all Missouri NEA delegates at the coming Rep Assembly and hope you will come by my campaign table to discuss my candidacy and the future of MNEA - and maybe pick up a button or two. We're not big on campaign bells and whistles, but I do enjoy a good conversation. Please come by . . . and on Friday night, my campaign will team up with several other great MNEA candidates for a big hospitality gathering down by the lake.

After the fall RA, the campaign begins in earnest, and I will be traveling the state as much as my work allows. I am most grateful for the support I've received to this point and hope to enlist more support at the RA. See you then!

Ray