Wisconsin Education Association Council
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| Full name | Wisconsin Education Association Council |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1853 |
| Country | United States |
| Head union | Mary Bell |
| Affiliation | NEA |
| Key people | Betsy Kippers, Vice President Dave Harswick, Secretary-Treasurer |
| Website | http://www.weac.org/Home.aspx |
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The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) is an education union representing the public policy, labor and professional interests of its members.[1] It is affiliated with the National Education Association.[2] Its headquarters are located in Madison, Wisconsin.
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[edit] History
WEAC began as a statewide educational organization of teachers and administrators in 1853. After passage of a collective bargaining law for public employees, it evolved into a pro-active teachers union and in 1972 changed its name to the Wisconsin Education Association Council. Later, WEAC expanded its membership to education support staff, as well as UW, technical college and State of Wisconsin education and information professionals.[1]
WEAC represents its members in areas such as collective bargaining, legislation, professional development and support and public relations. WEAC also advocates on behalf of the 865,000 children in Wisconsin public schools.[1]
[edit] Membership
WEAC membership includes[1]:
- Teachers, counselors and library media specialists in Wisconsin public K-12 schools.
- Education support professionals — secretaries, teacher aides, bus drivers, custodians, cooks — employed in public K-12 schools.
- Faculty and support staff in the Wisconsin Technical College System.
- Active retired members.
- University students who are studying to be educators.
- Education and information professionals who are employed by the state and work in the Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Technical College System, State Historical Society, at other state schools and libraries, and in state prisons and other institutions, including the Centers for the Developmentally Disabled.
[edit] Legal affairs
WEAC attempts to interview candidates for political and judicial office, but at least one judicial candidate has refused an interview with the association, claiming, "it might give the impression of a hidden agenda."[3]
[edit] Suits against Virtual School
WEAC had made several suits in the recent years against Wisconsin virtual schools.[4] One such suit is when the association sued the Wisconsin Virtual Academy and Connections Academy, because WEAC felt that the two schools "were operating in violation of open enrollment, charter school and teacher licensing laws" [5] Wisconsin Virtual Academy was first established in September 2003 with full approval of the DPI. When WEAC sued WIVA, the DPI was a defendant, but it sided with WEAC in the lawsuit.
[edit] Suit against State of Wisconsin for Constitutional 1st and 14th Amendment Violations
Background
The Wisconsin Legislative Branch wrote a bill to limit collective bargaining laws which were established in Wisconsin in 1959 [6] which was signed into Law by the Govenor. The bill was halted by the Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi[7]. The Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously found Judge Sumi to be in violation of Constitutional Separation of Powers. [8]. The Wisconsin Secretary of State Douglas La Follette [9] refused to publish the Law immediately [10] after the Wisconsin Supreme Court decision, enabling WEAC, along with other unions which represented public employees, to file a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against Wisconsin Govenor Scott Walker, (and others in the administration)[11] on the basis that:
Basis of Lawsuit
- An employer that compensates employees of a public union with different specialties (in this case Public Safety employees), violates the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.[12]
- The lack of a public union to involuntary take funds from public employees in the State of Wisconsin violates the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, because without those funds, the public unions claim, removes the ability for public unions to exercise free speech.[13]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Bell, Mary. "Introduction to WEAC". Wisconsin Education Association Council. http://www.weac.org./About_WEAC.aspx. Retrieved 8 February 2010.[dead link]
- ^ NEA official website. Accessed February 9, 2010.
- ^ Frank Schultz, "Three vie for 4th District Court of Appeals judgeship," Janesville Gazette, February 13, 2010. Found at Gazette Xtra.com website. Accessed February 16, 2010.
- ^ http://www.wivirtualschoolfamilies.org/news/ Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families News
- ^ http://www.chippewa.com/articles/2010/02/09/news/doc4b71f16205015393606112.txt
- ^ http://legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/data/acts/11Act10.pdf
- ^ http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/110526Ozanne_decision.pdf
- ^ http://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=66078
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_La_Follette
- ^ http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/123921154.html
- ^ http://media.jsonline.com/documents/unions_relief_complaint.pdf
- ^ http://media.jsonline.com/documents/unions_relief_complaint.pdf
- ^ http://media.jsonline.com/documents/unions_relief_complaint.pdf
