Because of MEA’s presence, in the last few years, some of the success include:  

• Hundreds of Millions more in education funding
• Elimination of the testing mandate tied to teacher evaluations
• Changes to the Rules of Restraint and Seclusion to make them manageable/realistic for educators

Why is the MEA involved in politics? Why should educators worry about who gets elected?   Here are three good answers:

1. Protection of public schools is a fundamental task of the Association. With repeated political attacks on our schools at the state and national level, educators must defend their programs and MEA has led the way in proclaiming the success of Maine schools and defeating attempts to displace public schools as the cornerstone of our democracy.
2. Funding for K-12 schools, the University of Maine, and Technical College Systems is largely dependent upon the goodwill of state legislators. The health and prosperity of your program, salary, and benefits is directly tied to votes on school funding. MEA is a strong proponent for more funding and is often the only voice for student needs.
3. What you teach and how you do your job is the result of political decisions. If MEA isn’t involved, decisions about school curricula, teaching methodologies, student assessment, and graduation requirements will be made without regard for educator interests.