PSEA is a community of education professionals who make a difference in the lives of students every day.
Voice: March 2017
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The famous quote from Dr. King has been my personal mantra, and rests at the bottom of every email I send. Whether I am running a Legislative Committee meeting, or running for State Representative, my focus is on the things that matter to my members, to my students, to my union brothers and sisters, and to my family. Today, our collective voice matters more than ever. As we continue to fight for our right to exist, you can count on me to pay attention to what our legislators are saying and doing, and to hold them accountable for those actions.
Political action is an essential part of being an active union member, and PSEA has done a wonderful job of preparing and encouraging its members to run for office. I am fortunate to have been on both sides of the PSEA/PACE table. As a former PACE Liaison to the Legislative Committee and ACE Coordinator in Eastern Region, I developed close relationships with many legislators on both sides of the aisle. The ACE program prepares our members to talk to their legislators and really affect change. Eventually, I was ready to jump in and run for State Representative. Thanks to the training from PSEA, and the great support of PSEA/PACE (and a lot of hard work) mine was one of the few competitive races in the state. Even though I did not win that day, our message was front and center: education is the issue that unites!
I love being an advocate. I have never been afraid to speak truth to power, and for that reason, whether it be advocating for one of my members as local president, or advocating against a destructive nominee for Secretary of Education, you will find me on the front lines. You can bet that when I am in Washington, lobbying our members of Congress on important policy matters, I won't back down.
The privilege I have had in serving on the Legislative committee, and as its chair for many years, has prepared me well to serve you on the NEA Board of Directors. I have met many dedicated, passionate and intelligent people while serving on that committee (including my wife), and I would not exchange that experience for the world. However, with the new administration in power in Washington, I feel that my voice and experience is needed there, to serve you, and hopefully sway a vote or two towards protecting our kids, our jobs, and our rights to collectively bargain.
I will never be silent about the things that matter to you. I would appreciate the opportunity to serve you as one of our exceptional NEA Director's. Please vote for me, Kevin Deely, for NEA Director.
