Teachers Saving Children® National Newsletter April 2000

1. Election of Officers for the 2000-2001 fiscal year was held. Connie Bancroft will serve as the Executive Director; Gary Winney will serve as the Assistant Executive Director; Lisa Rudloff will serve as Secretary; David Kaiser will serve as Treasurer.

2. The Board of Trustees discussed at great length the TSC purposes statement. The Board has made a proposed change to the purpose statement placing the primary focus of TSC on a respect for all human life with the secondary focus on influencing the professional educators' organizations.

3. By faith, the Board of Trustees made a decision to apply for an exhibit booth at the NEA RA in Chicago. Since this item has not been budgeted, the trustees made a decision to request funds specifically for this endeavor. (See related article.)

4. The Board of Trustees discussed several different public relation strategies to increase and involve the membership.

Membership: As of April 1, 2000, there are 336 paid TSC members. TSC membership is open to all pro-life/pro-family educators and concerned citizens. Contributions and memberships are NOT tax deductible. Please note that according to the TSC Constitution & Bylaws, the membership year is from September 1 - August 31. Our membership drive for the 2000-2001 membership year will begin June 1st. Renewal membership information will be sent to all current members in early July.

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NEA CONVENTION 2000

The 2000 NEA Representative Assembly will be held in Chicago, IL, July 1-6, 2000. It is vital that you contact your delegates to the convention, letting them know your philosophy on various issues. If you have a delegate(s) from your local attending the NEA RA, contact should be very easy. However, many locals do not or can not send delegates to the NEA, either because of the financial burden or because of their small membership size. Someone will be representing you! Check with your local president as to who will be representing you -- either as a local delegate, an at-large state delegate(s) or possibly a clustered local delegate. By the first part of May, local presidents should know who your delegate representative(s) would be. If they don't know -- ask them to find out by contacting your state affiliate NEA office. Get involved by contacting your NEA delegates! They are your representatives!

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PRO-LIFE TEACHER vs. PRO-ABORTION UNION

"A Massachusetts schoolteacher is preparing to go before the state's Commission Against Discrimination arguing that he should not be forced to pay union fees which support the spread of abortion.

The teacher, Gerard O'Brien, filed a religious discrimination complaint in 1995 after being suspended for five days for refusing to pay fees that helped fund the union's pro-abortion political activity. O'Brien argues that paying fees to the Springfield Education Association would violate his personal convictions and his Catholic faith because of the union's support of abortion. O'Brien has placed the money for the fees, about $400 per year, in an escrow account. The case is expected to be reviewed by the full commission at a date to be determined.

While the Springfield Education Association claims it takes no stand on abortion, it acknowledges that it gives money, received from union dues, to the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the National Education Association which support pro-abortion political activity."

-From Ed Facts, 3/10/2000
A publication of Family Research Council

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LEAVING THE NEA

"Teachers who wish to disassociate themselves with the National Education Association (NEA) frequently encounter a confusing and frustrating process. A new booklet entitled 'Disassociation from the NEA' helps guide teachers through the process. Published by the Education Policy Institute (EPI), this booklet outlines several ways teachers may be able to disassociate individually or as a local group from the NEA or any other teachers union. The booklet describes resignation steps by which an individual teacher severs rights, privileges and obligations to the NEA. A group of teachers may corporately pursue 'disaffiliation,' which terminates the relationship between the local affiliate and the state and national NEA, or 'decertification,' in which the current union is replaced by another bargaining agent. Another option is 'deauthorization,' making it voluntary to financially contribute to a union.

'Disassociation from the NEA' provides detailed explanations of the steps necessary to decertify, disaffiliate, resign, or deauthorize. The booklet also describes results of these actions and gives contact information for legal guidance and/or representation.

ACTION: To order a free copy of 'Disassociation from the NEA,' contact the Education Policy Institute at 202-244-7535 or access the booklet through their website at www.educationalpolicy.org."

-From Ed Facts, 3/17/2000
A publication of Family Research Council

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"THE WONDER OF LIFE"

Judy Bruns, TSC Member & NEA Delegate

Coming up soon is the opportunity to reach not only hundreds, but thousands of educators with the pro-life message. The NEA Representative Assembly (RA) is set for July 1-6 in Chicago. The NEA RA includes 2 1/2 days of exhibits along with other pre-RA activities, and 3 1/2 days of business.

By faith, the TSC Inc. - National Board of Trustees made a decision to apply for exhibit space in the huge display area during the pre-RA activities. TSC members, who are also representing their Local Association or the NEA State Affiliate Association as NEA delegates, are doing what we have heard YOU, our members, say you want us to do. We are putting the facts and the wonder of human development before the largest assembly of decision-makers in the teachers' union. TSC will be investing $1,100 for the exhibit space rental alone, without counting the additional $300-400 cost for miscellaneous fees and materials.

The purpose of our exhibit area will be to promote and provide educational classroom materials especially for science and health teachers. All materials will be age-appropriate, positive, colorful, and scientifically accurate regarding the wonder of life in utero. For example, we have scientifically accurate videos and CDs that show the baby moving inside the mom even in the 1st trimester. We have posters, brochures, and order forms that will "knock the socks" off health and science teachers because the items are so awesome and usable in the classroom. The book Before You Were Born will be a hit with primary teachers and parents of young children. This children's book, with fold-out pictures done in cartoon style, is being used in doctor's offices and is acclaimed as tasteful, fascinating, and fun to read to kids. One of the brochures, "All About You" is published by Nurses for Community Education. The brochure is about the early development of a baby and is set up in a question-answer format. Junior high and high school teachers will love this brochure as well as many other brochures that will be provided, at no cost, to individuals who visit the exhibit booth. Much time and research have been put into picking out materials of high quality and appeal. We feel that YOU, our members, would be proud of our selections.

Now - here comes the big question - Can you spare $5 or $10 to help us fund this booth? Where can we better try to reach educators with our views on the sanctity of human life than at the NEA RA? The people who serve you on the Teachers Saving Children^® Board of Trustees are reaching deep into their own pockets to make this "The Wonder of Life" exhibit at the NEA RA a reality. Can you help with this grand effort to educate our educators (and their classes) on the wonder of human development? The more people are exposed to the "awesomeness" of a little child growing in his/her mother, the more they will realize the value of a living, growing, human child, a singular creation in God's purposeful plan.

Again, can you spare $5? $10? Or more? Being pro-life and pro-family at the NEA RA is not easy, but we are determined, with God's help, to open the eyes of people to the wonder of human life and God's creation. Each child born into this world will thank you for your contribution towards educating teachers about "The Wonder of Life".

Note: Please make checks payable to "TSC Inc. - National" and designate the amount towards this endeavor as "Display".

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