2022 MEA Representative Assembly

The MEA held its annual Representative Assembly (RA) in May. The MEA RA is the largest democratic body of the association, made up of educators elected by their local associations to represent their district. At this year’s MEA RA members:

• Set the course of work for the union in the upcoming school year
• Discussed and took positions on key education issues
• Honored members, education leaders, and students with awards and scholarships
  

See below the items voted on by the delegates at the Representative Assembly, MEA’s award winners and the winners of MEA’s Clyde Russell scholarship for students. 

MEA Award Winners

Each year at the MEA RA, the Union presents awards to members and those in our community to honor the work done to support public education over the course of the school year. Below are this year’s award winners.

2022 New Business Items
1. RESOLVED: that the MEA prioritizes the purchasing and marketing of union made goods when possible.
2. WITHDRAWN
3. WITHDRAWN
4. RESOLVED: that the MEA will explore avenues for grant funding opportunities to:
a. Collaborate with the state and other organizations to develop strategies to recruit, support and retain BIPOC educators in Maine.
b. Develop and implement an Ethnic Diversity Group of Educators (EDGE) partnership support program that would partner veteran MEA members of ethnic diversity with new educators and staff of ethnic diversity and of color to help them identify ways in which to engage and participate in the union and prepare for leadership roles.
c. Work towards developing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion staff position within the organization in order to increase membership and “ensure safe and supportive environments that are free from social and racial injustice.”
5. RESOLVED: The MEA will investigate avenues to fairly demonstrate the value of the time and contributions of MEA union members serving on MEA committees through stipends, reduced membership fees.
6. RESOLVED: The MEA will review its governance documents and replace gendered language with gender-inclusive equivalents.
7. RESOLVED: The MEA will work to shift our educator culture from one of volunteerism to one of fair compensation by: 1. training members to request compensation for additional duties beyond the scope of their contracted district positions.
8. RESOLVED: The MEA will work to create or adopt an organizational definition of educational equity.
9. RESOLVED: The MEA will collaborate with the MPA and MSMA to propose legislation that protects schools from incessant Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) requests.
10. RESOLVED: The MEA will pursue legislation for education support professionals to get paid at least 9% more than the highest of City, State or Federal minimum wage as base pay.
10. RESOLVED: The MEA will work to develop and promote legislation that requires the State to provide educational services to students who are expelled.
11. RESOLVED: The MEA will create a women in education caucus.
12. RESOLVED: The MEA will create a LGBTQ+ Caucus.
13. RESOLVED: The MEA will investigate removing the phrase “Perform non-instructional, non-evaluative functions” from Chapter 115 section 5 A (1) (A) ii.
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2022 New and Amended Resolutions
Amendment to B17
B17. RESOLVED: That the MEA believes that members need to be professional proactive advocates for children and public education. To accomplish that objective, the MEA also believes that:

members can be more effective at Individual Education Plan meetings if they are knowledgeable about special education laws and regulations, transition regulations, and 504 regulations.
local associations should have a resource person knowledgeable in special education/inclusion/504.
local associations should negotiate additional resources and improved working conditions in special education.
state and local organizations involved in special education need to coordinate their services.
members need to be knowledgeable of legal protections against harassment, student violence, and other unsafe working conditions for educators or students.
members need to gain knowledge about issues that face our increasingly diverse students and staff, including the District’s Lau Plan, a document which describes how school administrative units (SAU) meet the needs of its English learners and fulfills its civil rights obligations to them.
members need training on the social and emotional needs of students.
members need current training on bullying prevention.
members need training on implicit bias.
members can be more effective at language assessment committee meetings for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL students) if they are knowledgeable about the student’s Individual Language Assessment Plan (ILAP).
members need support in all of the above issues through local professional development.
(Adopted 2003; Amended 2012; Amended 2015; Amended 2019; Amended 2021, Amended 2022)

Amendment to B22
B22. RESOLVED: That the MEA supports legislation that will identify all issues relating to the implementation of new technological methods of instruction which affect teachers and other school employees, as being within the scope of mandatory negotiations between the bargaining agent of the employees and their employer. These issues include, but are not limited to: workload, work hours, work assignments, evaluation and performance expectations, training and professional development, curriculum, and staffing. (Adopted 2008, Amended 2022)

New E31
E31. RESOLVED: that the MEA believes that each student’s choice of moniker consistent with their self identity and that their moniker should be respected and extended to all student approved instances that are not legal documents including but not limited to: email, yearbook, lunch card, marquee, educational software such as attendance systems, and public announcements. (Adopted 2022)

New E32
E32. RESOLVED: that the MEA believes in the support of educators teaching curriculum through an equity lens. (Adopted 2022)

New E33
E33. RESOLVED: that the MEA believes in the support of educators who resolve to share diverse and inclusive learning materials to all students in their learning environments. (Adopted 2022)

New G8
G8. RESOLVED: that the MEA believes in the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and therefore believes that the efforts to view policies and practices of the Association with an equity lens must be ongoing in order for MEA to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive organization, and in order to work for a more diverse educator workforce that will help to promote equity and inclusion in our public pre-K-12 schools and institutions of higher learning. The MEA believes that all local affiliates also need to be engaged in this work at the local level. (Adopted 2022)
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2022 Constitution Changes
CONSTITUTION ARTICLE VI, SECTION 2, PART B
ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 2. Board of Directors
B. Ethnic minority members shall be guaranteed representation on the Board of Directors in the same manner as an election district is guaranteed representation, except that the count for ethnic minority members shall be based upon statewide membership totals. If there are no ethnic minority members elected to the Board of Directors in election districts, an at-large ethnic minority seat on the Board of Directors shall be created for a three-year term utilizing any legally permissible manner. Candidates for this seat shall come from and be elected by ethnic minority members in a statewide election.

CONSTITUTION ARTICLE VI, SECTION 3, PART C
ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 3. Terms of Office
C. MEA Board of Directors members shall serve no more than two (2) three-year (3) terms to begin July 15.
An exception to this is for MEA Board of Directors members who will have completed fewer than two (2) years of a vacated seat; in this case, they will be eligible to serve two (2) consecutive three-year (3) terms.
MEA Board of Directors members who will have completed two (2) years or more of a vacated seat are eligible to serve one (1) additional three-year (3) term.
In no case will an MEA Director serve for more than eight (8) consecutive years.

CONSTITUTION ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4
ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 4. Impeachment
Members of the Board of Directors may be impeached for violation of the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession or for misfeasance, for malfeasance, or for nonfeasance in office in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Bylaws.

CONSTITUTION ARTICLE VII, SECTION 2
ARTICLE VII. AFFILIATES
Section 2. Ethnic Minority Representation
Affiliates of the Association shall take all legally permissible steps to assure that their elective and appointive bodies shall have ethnic minority representation at least proportionate to the ethnic minority membership of the affiliate. “Ethnic minority” shall mean those persons designated as ethnic minority by statistics published by the United States Bureau of the Census. This designation shall specifically include American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and multiple races.

CONSTITUTION ARTICLE VII, SECTION 5
ARTICLE VII. AFFILIATES
Section 5. Standards and Procedures for Affiliation
Affiliates that fail to comply with standards and procedures set forth in this Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules shall be subject to censure, suspension, or disaffiliation. Any such action may take place only after due notice and a due process hearing.
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2022 Bylaw Changes
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership Categories
J. Community Ally
Community Ally membership shall be open to any person interested in advancing the cause of public education, who supports the mission, vision, and core values of the Association, and who is not eligible for any other MEA membership category. The MEA Board of Directors shall adopt rules to implement this membership category.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 2. Rights and Limitations
A. Rights of Participation
1. Active, active education support and non-teaching professional members shall have the right to full participation including, but not limited to, the right to vote and hold office. Past presidents shall enjoy these privileges, unless they become a regular employee of the NEA or any of its affiliates, in which case the privileges are waived for the duration of his/her employment with NEA or any of its affiliates.
2. Retired and student members shall only be eligible to hold office and vote for Association positions which represent their membership category, except when serving as elected delegates to the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly.
3. Reserve and staff members shall not have the right to hold office or to vote.
4. Community Ally members shall not have the right to nominate or vote for candidates for elected office, nominate, or vote for delegates to the Representative Assembly, or hold any elected office or appointed committee position in the Association.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 2. Rights and Limitations
B. Aid and Services
2. Retired, student, reserve, staff members and community ally shall be entitled to receive special services and publications of the Association.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 2. Rights and Limitations
C. Revocation of Membership Rights and Privileges
Any member whose payment of dues, according to a prearranged schedule, is in arrears by more than eight (8) weeks shall not be entitled to membership rights and privileges until such time as payment of past dues in full or a past dues payment agreement is reached and the member does not fail to adhere to the terms of the agreement.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 2. Rights and Limitations
D. Censure, Suspension, Expulsion
1. A member of the MEA can be censured, suspended, or expelled only for good cause, and shall be entitled to a due process hearing before the MEA Judicial Board in accordance with rules adopted by the Representative Assembly. If the MEA Judicial Board decides to discipline an MEA member, the member may appeal that decision to the MEA Board of Directors, whose decision shall be final—subject to appeal to the National Education Association. The MEA Judicial Board also shall have the power to vacate a censure, lift a suspension, or reinstate a member.
2. No person may appeal to the National Education Association or initiate a lawsuit or other legal proceeding in any court or other forum, with regard to the threatened or actual imposition of discipline under this section unless such person has fully exhausted the due process procedure outlined above, and has received a final decision by the MEA Board of Directors.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 4. Membership Dues
A. The annual membership dues of the Maine Education Association, for active professional members shall be calculated to the nearest dollar and shall be the greater of: (1) 2.5 percent increase over the prior year’s dues, or (2) 0.765 percent of the average salary of Maine teachers as established by the Department of Education for the second year prior to the budget year. The Maine Education Association active part-time membership shall be open to any person who is employed fifty percent (50%) or less, but greater than twenty-five percent (25%), of the normal schedule for full-time faculty members or who is on sabbatical leave. Membership dues will be calculated to the nearest dollar on the basis of fifty percent (50%) of dues for full-time active educators.

One-quarter (1/4) membership shall be open to any person who is regularly employed for twenty-five percent (25%) or less of the normal schedule for full-time faculty members. Membership dues will be calculated to the nearest dollar on the basis of twenty-five percent (25%) of dues for full-time active professional educators.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 4. Membership Dues
C. The Association shall allow credit to first-year active or active education support members who join the Association during their first year of membership eligibility, the reduction of their dues being ten percent (10%) per year for each year of their student membership and/or for each year of their student membership up to four (4) years. The first-year active member shall provide proof of membership to be eligible for credit, and the Association shall verify student membership.
D. Any person (1) who joins as an active or active education support member for the first time after the commencement of the membership year, (2) who becomes eligible for active or active education support membership after the commencement of the membership year, or (3) who returns to professional education employment or to an education support position from a limited leave of absence after the commencement of the membership year, or (4) who is hired after the commencement of the membership year shall be enrolled in full standing for the remainder of the membership year by paying the amount of annual dues which is commensurate with the remaining portion of the membership year.
E. The MEA Board of Directors may establish reduced membership dues for persons eligible for active or active education support membership who are included in a group of employees (1) that is attempting to become an affiliate of the Association or (2) for which an affiliate of the Association is attempting to become the recognized organization. The amount of the dues charged such persons, and the Association services and benefits for which they are eligible, shall be determined by the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis. The Board of Directors shall adopt rules for implementing this Bylaw.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 4. Membership Dues
E. The MEA Board of Directors may establish reduced membership dues for persons eligible for active or active education support membership who are included in a group of employees (1) that is attempting to become an affiliate of the Association or (2) for which an affiliate of the Association is attempting to become the recognized organization. The amount of the dues charged such persons, and the Association services and benefits for which they are eligible, shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall adopt rules for implementing this Bylaw.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 4. Membership Dues
K. Military Reservists – Active membership status will be maintained for any active MEA member who is a military reservist called to active duty. Dues for this membership category will be suspended when his/her salary is terminated and will remain suspended until the school salary is resumed.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 4. Membership Dues
M. Dues of Community Ally members shall be established by the Representative Assembly in the program budget.

ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Section 1. Allocation of Delegates
B. In apportioning or reapportioning delegates, the Structure and Bylaws Committee shall adhere to the principle of one-person, one-vote. Each governance affiliate shall provide proportionate representation by educational position and shall seek to achieve ethnic minority representation at least proportionate to its ethnic minority membership by all legally permissible means.

ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Section 5. Elections
F. The President and the National Education Association Director(s) shall also serve as delegates to the National Education Association Representative Assembly with limited rights.

ARTICLE III. NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Section 1. Active and Active Education Support Professionals
Only persons who have been and remain active and active education support members of the Maine Education Association and the National Education Association are eligible to be delegates to the National Education Association Representative Assembly. Elections shall be conducted in accordance with procedures outlined in the MEA Standing Rules and Elections Handbook and the NEA Election Guidelines.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. Powers and Duties of the President
I. serve as delegate to the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly; and
J. serve as a delegate to the National Education Association Assembly subject to the limitations as specified in the Constitution of the National Education Association;
K. perform all other duties applicable to the office of President.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 2. Powers and Duties of the Vice President
D. serve as a delegate to the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 3. Powers and Duties of the Treasurer
E. serve as a delegate to the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly

ARTICLE V. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 2. Duties
B. Members of the Board of Directors shall:
3. serve as delegates to the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly.

ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES
Section 2. Standing Committees
A. Government Relations Committee
A Government Relations Committee shall consist of members representing each of the UniServ Districts, one (1) education support professional member, one (1) Maine Education Association retired member, and one (1) student. Where representation from each UniServ District is not feasible, the President shall have the option of filling committee positions with at-large appointments for not more than one (1) year. Committee members shall be appointed for three-year (3) terms.
C. Instruction and Professional Development Committee
An Instruction and Professional Development Committee shall consist of one (1) member from each of the UniServ Districts, one (1) education support professional member, one (1) member of the Maine Education Association retired, and one (1) student. Where representation from each UniServ District is not feasible, the President shall have the option of filling committee positions with at-large appointments for not more than one (1) year. Committee members shall be appointed for three-year (3) terms.
D. Statewide Bargaining Committee
A Statewide Bargaining Committee shall consist of one (1) member with bargaining expertise from each UniServ District, one (1) education support professional member selected from the state at-large, one (1) Maine Education Association retired member, and one (1) student member. Where representation from each UniServ District is not feasible, the President shall have the option of filling committee positions with at-large appointments for not more than one (1) year. Committee members shall be appointed for three-year (3) terms.

ARTICLE VII. GOVERNANCE AFFILIATES AND ACADEMIC NON-GOVERNANCE AFFILIATES
Section 2. Governance Affiliates
D. The Association shall not affiliate a governance affiliate unless it meets the following minimum standards:
1. each governance affiliate shall apply the one-person, one-vote principle for representation on its governing bodies except that the governance affiliate shall take such steps as are legally permissible to achieve ethnic minority representation at least proportionate to its ethnic minority membership;

ARTICLE VII. GOVERNANCE AFFILIATES AND ACADEMIC NON-GOVERNANCE AFFILIATES
Section 2. Governance Affiliates
D. The Association shall not affiliate a governance affiliate unless it meets the following minimum standards:
4. the governance affiliate shall be reviewed by the Association to determine compliance with minimum standards for affiliation at least once every five (5) years;

ARTICLE VII. GOVERNANCE AFFILIATES AND ACADEMIC NON-GOVERNANCE AFFILIATES
Section 5. Censure, Suspension or Disaffiliation
A. For cause shown, the Board of Directors may censure, suspend or disaffiliate any affiliate. Such action may take place only after due notice and a due process hearing as required by the MEA Constitution. In the event an adverse action is taken, said affiliate shall have the right to appeal the decision to a seven-member (7) appellate jury which shall be comprised of disinterested Representative Assembly delegates according to the following selection procedure: the Maine Education Association Executive Director shall make available a current listing of the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly delegates from which the aggrieved party and the Maine Education Association President shall select the seven (7) jurors under a striking procedure. The decision of the jury shall be binding on all parties.