Paula Monroe started out as an ESP, and today she is a member of NEA's national executive committee. Her first official visit to New Mexico was earlier this year when she was the keynote speaker at the ESP conference in Las Cruces. She visited again this fall, and here's her report of what happened.
NEA New Mexico members are hard at work to make sure that we elect candidates at all levels that support public education and education employees. Starting out in Alamogordo, NM at an Association Rep meeting with NEA Alamogordo, the local leaders talked about all they are doing to increase membership and elect pro-public education candidates. Celebrating the recent successful election by the COPs (Classified Office Personnel) to be recognized as members of the Bargaining Unit, the mood was definitely positive and looking to the future with hope.
NEA Alamogordo has added over 90 new members since the beginning of the school year. We attended an AR training at the house of the local's president. I was asked to speak about the election and stayed while the training took place. I was so pleased when one of the leaders talked about the NEA Core Values and how no one should be able to argue about belonging to an organization with those values.
FOR MORE OF PAULA'S REPORT, Download paula_monroe.doc
Thursday, September 18, 2008 was a day not to be forgotten in Espanola for years. Over 10,000 people gathered in the Plaza to hear Barack Obama lay out his plans for change in the U.S. if elected U.S. President. Not only were school employees visible, but students from Espanola Public Schools' mariachi band entertained the crowds that started gathering at 10:30 a.m.in lines that went for blocks. Governor Bill Richardson, Congressional Candidate Ben Ray Lujan and others urged citizens to get registered and vote.
