Conference includes local teachers
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Association leaders attended workshops on topics including compliance with the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind legislation and other issues of relevance to educators and public schools.
Gov. Phil Bredesen thanked participants for their support of his education initiatives and pledged to continue his efforts to obtain equitable teacher salaries in Tennessee and to maintain funding for public education.
State Commissioner of Education Lana Seivers presented greetings and discussed changes she is overseeing in the Department of Education that will make it easier for “teachers to teach and children to learn.”
In his keynote address, NEA Friend of Education recipient and Oklahoma journalist Frosty Troy praised TEA members for their invaluable service and challenged them to maintain that dedication in the face of those who would denigrate and destroy public education in favor of vouchers and other privatization schemes.
The conference focused on the importance of recruiting and maintaining membership in the association, and energized participants to return to their districts and have the best year possible.
The Tennessee Education Association is the state’s largest professional organization representing over 51,000 teachers, school administrators, education support personnel, higher education faculty, and students preparing to become teachers.