A Collaborative Effort

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1 [Volume 31 Issue 6 December 2014] Kansas National Education Association ISSUES This Edition 2 The Meaning of Us 3 6 Things You Must Know About Gift Returns presented by NEA Member Benefits 4 Member Gallery 5 Physical Education Matters 6 For All Its Worth 7 Proposed Constitutional Amendments Efficiency Commission Update Anti-collective bargaining proposal so far lacks enough support By Mark Desetti, Director of Legislative and Political Advocacy The K-12 Performance and Efficiency Commission reviewed a surprise legislative proposal on collective bargaining at their December 15 meeting. The proposal allow negotiations only on salary and hours, and would have prohibited school districts from negotiating on any other topics. Under questioning from Senator Vratil, it was noted that the bill as drafted would have made salaries and hours permissive items (you can negotiate them only if the board of education wants to). Since school boards generally won t negotiate permissive items, the bill as drafted would essentially end collective bargaining. In September the commission had decided that any changes to collective bargaining should come from on-going conversations between KNEA, KASB, and USA. In fact, the draft commission recommendations at the end of the September meeting said this specifically: The commission acknowledges and appreciates the Kansas Association of School Boards working with various stakeholders in discussions of potential changes in the Professional Negotiations Act. The commission approves and supports this process and looks forward to a successful conclusion. K-12 Student Performance and Efficiency Commission Recommendations September 18-19, 2014 Yet when the draft report was put before the commission in December, the above recommendation was missing. In its place was the proposed anti-collective bargaining legislation. A Collaborative Effort Collective bargaining has come under attack in many states as it has in Kansas in recent years. During this time, KNEA officials have been working collaboratively with counterparts from United School Administrators, Kansas Association of School Boards, and the Kansas School Superintendents Association to work on a refined process founded on what works. Initially, this group began its effort based upon the following: How can collective bargaining best serve public education- students, employees, management and the public? This collaborative group calling itself the Kansas Alliance for Education Advocacy has met on several occasions. These meetings have been very focused on positive solutions. We will continue to work collaboratively to identify more efficient and effective ways to manage the bargaining process. Following the most recent meetings of the K-12 Student Performance and Efficiency Commission, the Kansas Alliance for Education Advocacy continued this process and have issued the following joint statement: The Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas National Education Association, the Kansas School Superintendents Association and the United School Administrators of Kansas met today (December 17, 2014) and reaffirmed support for collective bargaining and the need to negotiate items of importance to the education profession. We support the right of local boards and associations to bargain beyond those times that are mandatorily negotiable by law. We will continue to work collaboratively to identify more efficient and effective ways to manage the bargaining process. As a result of our work over the past few months, we have a clearer understanding of each other s interests. The group plans to have a recommended position for our respective boards by January 22, 2015.

2 [page 2 December 2014] The Meaning of Us By Mark Farr, KNEA President It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. Educators are professional evaluators of need. Educators are inventive, innovative, and most of all committed to their profession. More than 150 years ago, that commitment was expressed by thirty four of the state s 564 teachers when in amid the civil war- they recognized the need to organize. What those teachers understood then is what we understand today, teaching and learning are inextricably linked and the conditions of each affect the other in a one-to-one relationship. As I have traveled throughout the state visiting school districts like Oakley, Dodge City, Wichita, Hutchinson, Olathe, KCK and even in Nickerson where I taught science, I ve been a listener and a learner. We all know, great teachers are lifelong learners. What I keep hearing throughout my travels is simply this, we re with you Mark because our students deserve better. What I ve learned is that teachers throughout the state understand that a great need exists. Our students, our state, our future needs great public schools but more so right now we need to pull together. Millions of dollars and countless working hours have been spent by special interests who are determined to transform public schools from opportunity engines into corporate-driven factories where students are nothing more than a value proposition. Strengthening our ability to improve the conditions that drive teaching and learning seems like a daunting task given our state s current political climate. However, I don t believe it is any more daunting than it was when this association began. No matter what narrative is invented to marginalize us, no matter who is in power advancing a harmful agenda against us, and no matter how they seek to silence us, they will ultimately fail because they do not understand who us actually is. Moreover, they can t understand until and unless they dedicate their lives to the profession as we have. We know that picking up a piece of chalk and working to engage and instruct young minds in a modern classroom is a monumental journey connecting the conditions of teaching and learning. Us is not just me and you the educators, it is me, you, and our students, connected and interdependent. Our students are our need, because we are theirs. Attacking us, is always an attack on them. Marginalizing us, will always marginalize them. Misunderstanding us, has always been a misunderstanding of who theyour students- are. This lack of understanding is the fatal flaw of those who attack us and it is one they can t easily overcome. KNEA is inventive by definition. We are an association of people who might differ in opinion sometimes, but who share a common bond. That bond cannot be broken. We will face many needs and opportunities in the coming months. We will be inventive, we will stand strong, and we will never stop advocating for our profession because to do so would be to stop advocating for our students. My commitment to you will not waver. I ask you join us during a time of challenge wherever it leads. Advocate with us, invent with us, progress with us and help us to show that what OUR union stands for is prosperity and opportunity for Kansas students. The mission of the Kansas National Education Association is to empower its members to promote quality public schools, strengthen the teaching profession and improve the well-being of members. KNEA Issues is published 10 times during the school year by the Kansas National Education Association, 715 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas Subscription: $2.50 of KNEA dues are designated for the Issues; $10 per year for nonmembers. Copyright 2014 by KNEA; all materials in this periodical may be reproduced by members for distribution to students or by KNEA affiliates for their own publications. KNEA President: Mark Farr - Executive Director: Claudette Johns - Editor: Marcus Baltzell - Layout & Design: Amanda Bayless

3 1. Sooner is always better. You may not have as long as you think to return the threesizes-too-large sweater Aunt Millie gave you for Christmas. Every store has its own policy. Among major retailers, Macy s allows returns at any time, regardless of purchase date. Target allows 90 days for a return; Sears gives you 30 days for electronics but 90 days for clothing. Consumer expert Andrea Woroch says, Get your returns done by early January to make sure you re not stuck with something you don t want. If you can t find something now, get a gift card and use it later. 2. But you might get a reprieve. According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, 28% of retailers modified their return policies during the last holiday shopping season. Best Buy set off shock waves when it shortened its usual return period to just 15 days. But Best Buy holiday shoppers have until January 15 to return goods bought after November 1. Amazon.com gives you until January 31. If a store doesn t extend its return policy based on the purchase date, it may start the clock on December 26 rather than the day the item was purchased. You ll have to ask about policy extensions because few retailers advertise them. 3. Darn, no receipt. Good giftgivers include a gift receipt. But if you don t get one for something you d like to return, politely ask where the item was bought. You should be able to get store credit or a gift card for its current sales price (a downer if it happens to be a seasonal item on sale). You ll almost never get cash, says Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org. 4. Do it in person, if you can. You may be able to make an even exchange. Most retailers will allow you to return an item to a brickand-mortar branch even if it was purchased online. But call ahead before you make the trek because there are exceptions, such as clothing retailer H&M. Many online merchants make it easier to return an item by mail by providing a shipping label. However, the cost of shipping may be deducted from the credit. Shoe merchants are particularly lenient; in order to encourage online ordering, companies such as Zappos. com and Piperlime.com offer both free shipping and free returns. 5. Watch out for restocking fees. Restocking fees are common on electronics, particularly DVDs and video [page 3 December 2014] 6 Things You Must Know About Gift Returns How to avoid the hassle when you need to take it back. By Jessica L. Anderson games, because of the potential for burning the content and then returning the item, says Louis DeNicola, a reporter for Cheapism. com, a comparison site for consumer goods. Amazon allows its partner sellers to charge a 20% fee on unopened media and a 50% fee if the item has been opened. 6. Give these retailers a gold star. Costco, Kohl s, L.L. Bean and Nordstrom are known for their open-ended returns on most items (Costco has a 90-day return policy on electronics). Nordstrom will take back items without a receipt. REI rescinded its lifetime return policy in June 2013, but it still gives you a year to return an item, no questions asked. Target will take back an item without a receipt as long as the purchase was made with a credit card, check or Target GiftCard the store can track The Kiplinger Washington Editors Brought to you by NEA Member Benefits Content provided by:

4 [page 4 December 2014] Member Gallery Konza UniServ hosted their first How To Survive Your First 3 Years of Teaching Seminar on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at the Manhattan High School East Campus. The morning began with a panel answering questions from the attendees, followed by breakout sessions over topics like Evaluation and Licensure, Classroom Management and Technology in the Classroom. Right: Sue Maples, Director of UD 114, speaks at the seminar in Manhattan. Idalia Shuman, KNEA Director ofteaching & Learning, Claudia Luthi from Child Advocacy Center in Manhattan and Jim Armendariz, principal of Ogden Elementary, during breakout sessions on various topics.

5 [page 5 December 2014] Physical Education Matters Congratulations to Jeffrey Baxter, Language Arts educator at Leavenworth High School, who was recently named one of 39 public school educators who received the California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence - one of the nation s most prestigious honors for public educators. The 39 educators will be honored at the NEA Foundation s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala to be held in Washington, DC on February 13, 2015.

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7 [page 7 December 2014] The proposed Constitution amendments are published for your review and consideration. The KNEA Constitution requires that they be published prior to being considered at the next KNEA RA, which will be conducted on April 18, Constitution Amendment No. 1 ARTICLE V BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECTION 8. Elections. b. The election of the ethnic-minority director named in ART. V, Sec. 2c, shall be by secret ballot vote by Active and Educational Support Members of record who have self-identified as ethnic-minorities as of January 15 of the election year under guidelines for Board elections established in the Bylaws. Purpose: The Ethnic-Minority representative should be elected by their constituent group as are Higher Ed., ESPÕs, and Retired Board representatives. Impact Statement: Restricts voting for Ethnic-Minority representative to self-identified ethnicminorities. Fiscal Impact: Will require additional staff time in the balloting process, production, and postage. Approximate postage cost is $500 per election. Constitution Amendment No. 2 ARTICLE VI COMMISSIONS, SPECIAL, STANDING, AND EX OFFICIO COMMITTEES

8 [page 8 December 2014] SECTION 7. Ex Officio Members. The President and Vice President shall be non-voting ex officio members of all commissions and committees. No other Board member shall serve on a commission. One student member and one retired member shall be appointed as a voting member of each commission. A student member and/or a retired member may be appointed to a committee, when appropriate. To guarantee ethnic-minority participation, at least one ethnic-minority member shall be appointed as a voting member of each commission. SECTION 8. Bargaining Teams. The Council of UniServ Presidents shall be an equal partner with KNEA Governance in any and all negotiations with recognized staff organizations, and shall have exclusive power to name any representatives to appropriate bargaining teams. SECTION 89. Vacancies. Notification of vacancies shall be sent to all local governance affiliates and UniServ Districts affected by such vacancies. Any vacancy that occurs during a term of service on a Commission or Committee shall be filled by the Board at its next meeting for the unexpired term or until the next Kansas NEA UniServ District Representative Assembly election in the case of the Resolutions Commission. No less than half a term shall be counted as a term of service. SECTION 910. Quorum. The majority of the voting members of any commission, ex officio or special committee shall constitute a quorum. Purpose: Any representative of the UniServ Presidents on a bargaining team should be selected by the UniServ Presidents since KNEA Governance/Management and UniServ Presidents are equal partners in relations with staff. Impact Statement: The proposed amendment may be out of order because it requires the delegation of bargaining authority to a group that has no official standing in the KNEA Governance structure and is not elected through a one-person one-vote process. Fiscal Impact: There is no known financial cost associated with the amendment.