Maine Education Association – Minority Involvement Plan

Oct 2, 2018 | News

The Maine Education Association is committed to encouraging those members from nationally recognized ethnic minority groups to participate fully in every phase of governance and all decision-making levels of the association. It is the goal of the association to achieve and maintain ethnic minority involvement at least proportionate to the number of ethnic minority members within the association.

  1. The MEA’s statements of philosophy expressing a commitment to Human and Civil Rights are contained in the MEA Constitution, Article II, and the MEA Resolutions, Section E, Human/Civil Rights.
  2. The Executive Director or his/her designee is designated as the monitor of the state ethnic minority involvement plan.
  3. During the 2018-2019 year, the MEA will ascertain ethnic minority membership from membership records, the MEA Board of Directors, the MEA Human, Civil Rights and Cultural Affairs Committee, and other available sources. The purpose of the ascertainment will be to identify and facilitate involvement by ethnic minority members in association programs and governance activities.
  4. The MEA will assign a staff person to maintain a resource file of ethnic minority members to aid the President of the MEA in appointing ethnic minority members to standing and/or ad hoc state committees.
  5. Letters or emails will be sent from the MEA President or his/her designee to each ethnic minority member encouraging participation in all activities of the NEA, MEA and local association.
  6. The MEA will continue to budget money to carry out the objectives of the Minority Involvement Plan.
  7. The MEA will provide funding for ethnic minority/women member(s) to attend the annual NEA Minority Leadership Training Seminar and/or the Joint Minority/Women’s Conference prior to the NEA-RA.
  8. The MEA will continue to maintain a standing Human, Civil Rights and Cultural Affairs Committee. This Committee will be responsible for setting up a plan to identify ethnic minority members, targeting large locals within the state.
  9. The MEA will continue to attempt to assure ethnic minority participation at its conferences, the MEA-RA and on committees at least in proportion to its ethnic minority membership.
  10. The MEA will include on all job postings that the MEA seeks minority and female applicants.
  11. The MEA will transmit a copy of the Minority Involvement Plan to the presidents of each governance affiliate annually.
  12. Utilizing the ethnic minority membership files and in coordination with the Human, Civil Rights and Cultural Affairs Committee meeting schedule, the MEA will request verification of ethnic minority status of the members listed.
  13. MEA will provide training sessions for members in the area of human, civil rights, and/or cultural affairs at each MEA conference.
  14. When possible,MEA will publicize articles of local minority involvement in the Maine Educator.
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