PSEA is a community of education professionals who make a difference in the lives of students every day.
The March 4, 1968, rally made a pronounced political statement. Teachers were tired of being denied professional rights, and they went to the doorsteps of elected officials to demand change.
It worked, teaching a lesson that, like it or not, the decisions affecting public education are made in the political arena. Advocating for good policies, and opposing bad ones, are critical for educators’ professional lives and the education of their students.
The times leading up to winning collective bargaining rights also included PSEA’s forming The Political Action Committee for Education, or PACE.
“Everything that was earned at that time, and the ability to carry that forward is dependent on the votes that have taken place in Harrisburg,’’ said Joe Scheuermann, PSEA-PACE chair and a high school math teacher in the Hempfield Area School District, Westmoreland County. “What was earned could easily be taken away. So, hand in hand with winning that fight in the 1960s comes the fight to preserve it.
“That comes by electing people who believe in public education and who believe in the rights of workers to the state House, the state Senate, to the governor’s office, to the court system, and to local school boards.’’
Scheuermann noted that raising money through PACE is critical given that many of the attacks on public education are backed by billionaires “who can write a check bigger than what we can raise collectively.’’ He emphasized that no members’ dues are used to fund political candidates.
When educators won collective bargaining rights in the aftermath of the rally, they did so with the votes of both Democrats and Republicans.
And bipartisanship, Scheuermann said, has remained a staple for PSEA and PACE. Scheuermann, a Republican, said the 19-member PACE board is made up of both Democrats and Republicans.
“One of the reasons I think we’ve been successful over the years is we realize the importance of being bipartisan,’’ he said. “I can point to legislative victories that have been won by working with members of both parties. What we want are people holding office who believe in public education. Their party affiliation is secondary.’’
