# ]Event bars Fargo teacher



## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

> Event bars Fargo teacher
> Dale Wetzel , Associated Press
> Published Monday, November 03, 2008
> · advertisement ·
> ...


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

> Ekre, who has been a teacher for 16 years, said she joined the association when she first began teaching but dropped out because she regards the NDEA's parent organization, the National Education Association, as too politically liberal.


You got to love those unions in this country, NEA and NDEA have dropped $400,000 in opposition to measure one. I can't think of any better reason to vote yes for it after this.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Good post g/o. What a pile of scum. I hope they are replaced for this.

I thought that liberals were the tolerant ones. :wink:


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

teachers organizations are the least tolerant organizations in the country

my wife is heavyily invovled with our school board, she says I can't come to the meetings :lol:


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## willythekid (Jan 21, 2008)

Longshot:
Good post g/o. What a pile of scum. I hope they are replaced for this.

So longshot, do you think the same of the guy who got fired from Cooper Arms? Is the board for Cooper Arms just a bunch of scum and should be replaced?


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Longshot said:


> Good post g/o. What a pile of scum. I hope they are replaced for this.
> 
> I thought that liberals were the tolerant ones. :wink:


Pile of scum.Only the uninformed call people names when they don't have a clue ......Do you know anything about NDEA besides your bias.???

That event was sponsored by NDEA.Why would they let NON-MEMBERS in the door????Do you know a closed group that lets non-members participate?That's why members pay dues.

That article doesn't say who picked her.Or were there any other non-members present.You couldn't get in the door either.

Since she clearly said NDEA DID NOT PRESSURE her to join.....maybe Martinson should have talked to her first instead of typically shooting his mouth off.

This was a CLOSED social gathering to honor award winning NDEA MEMBERS.She wasn't a member.She was told she could not participate if she didn't belong.Selective memory is always a good excuse.Maybe the writer of this should have gotten facts straight first.. :eyeroll:


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

> Wayne Sanstead, North Dakota's superintendent of public instruction, said he was "greatly distressed" by news of Ekre's treatment.





> "It is the North Dakota Teacher of the Year, not the NDEA Teacher of the Year," Sanstead said.


Scum was the word for their actions and treatment of a person who is obviously doing a great job. What part of "This is not the NDEA Teacher of the Year Award" do you not understand? If they do not sponsor this Award, but do hand it out, it should not make a difference if they are a member or not. If it's NDEA's responsibility to present this award, the person should not HAVE to be a member. They were doing nothing but trying to force her to rejoin. Where is the tolerance Ken. If they don't like it, then they should have nothing to do with the North Dakota Teacher of the Year award at all. I guess maybe you have been indoctrinated for too long by the NDEA.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

i understand just fine.She wan't chosen teacher of the year by NDEA alone.

So what part of ....THIS WAS A SOCIAL EVENT FOR NDEA MEMBERS don't YOU understand?And what part of.....we asked you to join and you chose not to,therefore you cannot attend don't you understand?Your total bias against teachers clearly shows here also. :eyeroll:

She wasn't the only member being honored at that social.All others there were members as they should be if they wish to attend.

Oh and I could care less what Sanstead thinks.Time to put that boy out to pasture.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Ken I have no problem with teachers and especially those in ND. Education was one of the big reasons we moved back here to ND when we had kids. If this event is where the award is to be presented it should make no difference who is a member. Apparently other teachers and those involved and quoted in the article were not happy with her treatment either. Don't try to make this a "Longshot hates teachers" BS, this is an I don't like how someone was treated post and the usual intolerance.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Show me where it says the award would be presented at that social.It does not sat that anywhere does it?This is what it says....."The event was intended to honor award-winning teachers."Plural.So she wasn't the only one being honored.No mention of presenting the award.

Once again it was a social to honor award winning members.Not present them with awards.So why would they allow non-members in????The only non-members I could see being there are spouses of the winners.

I guess what riles me about your post here is calling several thousand teachers a pile of scum.Since by using the word pile you are including all NDEA members in your statement even if you did not intend to.


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

Complaining that your union is "liberal" is like complaining that the NRA is too "conservative"... Seriously, they represent what they represent, and if they happen to agree with one party it's not because they like that party, it's because that party agrees with them.

Next time she signs a contract, I hope they take away her prep time, make her work over lunch, make her stay late every day, and make her come in over her breaks... the types of things that the teachers' union prevents from happening. If some parent calls for her head for no reason, I hope the administration hands it to them! It's easy enough to do... There are a lot of teachers without jobs in the area.

You guys should understand... as much complaining as you all do about somebody getting a free ride.

There are a lot of people drinking the union hater-ade... If it's a union event, it's up to them to decide who to let in.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Ken I think you have a reading comprehension problem. Reread my first post. I stated that I hope they are replaced (the pile of scum) being those who declined her entrance.



> The event was intended to honor award-winning teachers, including the new teacher of the year and the North Dakota winner of the Milken Educator Award, officials said.





> Martinson appealed to Freborg to introduce legislation to "remove the NDEA from playing any role whatsoever in North Dakota's Teacher of the Year program."





> Martinson said he was "highly offended by the hurtful and vindictive treatment of this outstanding educator by the NDEA, an organization that demonstrated bias, prejudice and discrimination towards a nonmember."





> She said she found out about the event later, when she was searching the Web for information about when the Teacher of the Year award was being presented.


It doesn't look like I am the only one who thinks lowly of those in control of the organization.



> "It certainly doesn't speak highly of the people who are in control of that organization," Freborg said. "I just cannot believe that they would stoop to something like that, and I'm sure that the membership, most of them, don't even know about it."


Maybe you are so defensive because you know someone involved? I'm not disappointed with any teacher, but an action by a few.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

omegax said:


> Next time she signs a contract, I hope they take away her prep time, make her work over lunch, make her stay late every day, and make her come in over her breaks... the types of things that the teachers' union prevents from happening. If some parent calls for her head for no reason, I hope the administration hands it to them! It's easy enough to do... There are a lot of teachers without jobs in the area.


So you would like to see an apparently very good teacher gone because she is not part of NDEA. I thought we all wanted the best teachers teaching our kids. Poor post omegax, political affiliation is more important to you then competence. :eyeroll:


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

That's not even remotely what I'm saying. I was exaggerating to make the point that there's a lot more to the teachers' union than who they endorse. I'm _saying_ she's either foolish or selfish, and she's reaping the benefits that others are paying for.


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

Omegax, I don't think she became teacher of the year because she was a poor teacher.

Ken W, I see you were quick to attack Martinson and not Sandstead. You got to love biased people. :lol:


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Yeah they have no ajenda

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,445865,00.html

this is appropiate


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

Right... teachers' unions put this kook up to this (the link Bob posted). They're hoping everybody turns gay so they'll have smaller class sizes?


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

omegax said:


> Right... teachers' unions put this kook up to this (the link Bob posted). They're hoping everybody turns gay so they'll have smaller class sizes?


What a poor way to dismiss a political agenda where it does not belong.


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

Longshot said:


> What a poor way to dismiss a political agenda where it does not belong.


I'm going to read it one more time to make sure it still doesn't say anything about teachers' unions... still no. It doesn't even say that the union is standing behind the teacher. It doesn't so much as mention the union. You're darn right I dismissed it. The agenda was the TEACHER'S and nobody else's. Here, I thought somebody might get a chuckle out of the class size line...


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

omegax said:


> They're hoping everybody turns gay so they'll have smaller class sizes?


Actually it did make me laugh.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

g/o said:


> Omegax, I don't think she became teacher of the year because she was a poor teacher.
> 
> Ken W, I see you were quick to attack Martinson and not Sandstead. You got to love biased people. :lol:


Maybe you should read what I said G/O before you respond.....

I said above......"Oh and I could care less what Sanstead thinks.Time to put that boy out to pasture."

I wouldn't vote for Sanstead if he was the only one on the ballot.I have some personal experiences with that guy.Do you??? :eyeroll:


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Just curious :eyeroll:

What percentage of teachers are members of NDEA?

I know a few who are NOT.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Anyone, Anyone.......Buehler, Buehler, Ferris?????????



> What percentage of teachers are members of NDEA?


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

zogman said:


> Just curious :eyeroll:
> 
> What percentage of teachers are members of NDEA?
> 
> I know a few who are NOT.


I'm not. I used to be a member. My decision is based on a personal matter. I am the lone income winner for my family of 4. My two kids are ages 4 and 1. My wife worked as a paraprofessional at an elementary school and with daycare costs it would be a wash with her hourly pay. So she stays home with the kids. I can find other uses for the 500 dollar annual dues.

When my wife goes back to work and the kids are in school I may become a member again.

I also have another personal experience with one of our NDEA reps that may deter me from ever being a member again. I won't go there publicly. In time that situation may pass and I will look passed it.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> This was a CLOSED social gathering to honor award winning NDEA MEMBERS.She wasn't a member.She was told she could not participate if she didn't belong.Selective memory is always a good excuse.Maybe the writer of this should have gotten facts straight first..


Actually I went to it and was not a member. I think it was about 1962 or 63. They were even bias liberal back then.

I think anyone who is in an organization that takes tax money should not as an organization be involved with politics.

What the NDEA did I am sure is legal, but it was in very poor taste. If they were presenting awards and this lady was teacher of the year she should have been invited. Yes invited, it would have been good public relations. The only reason to keep her out was to snub her. She wasn't one of them. They will loose more members rather than gain.



> Next time she signs a contract, I hope they take away her prep time, make her work over lunch, make her stay late every day, and make her come in over her breaks...


That's simply vindictive. She doesn't share you view so punish her? I see that same attitude with a lot of liberals who claim to be tolerant. In all seriousness I see less tolerance from liberals than conservatives. Much less, and this is a good example.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

> Next time she signs a contract, I hope they take away her prep time, make her work over lunch, make her stay late every day, and make her come in over her breaks...


Considering she is the Teacher of the Year, I wouldn't be surprised if she already does this. Some put a little more into their work than others and many times it shows.


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

I don't really want that to happen. It's just frustrating that she gets a lot of the benefits, but then gets to complain about the union being "liberal". It's annoying, and selfish.


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

Longshot said:


> Considering she is the Teacher of the Year, I wouldn't be surprised if she already does this. Some put a little more into their work than others and many times it shows.


Yeah... tell me about it... my wife's a teacher (which is why I get mad when people badmouth teachers and teachers' unions).


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

omegax said:


> Longshot said:
> 
> 
> > Considering she is the Teacher of the Year, I wouldn't be surprised if she already does this. Some put a little more into their work than others and many times it shows.
> ...


You still don't get it omegax. I wasn't badmouthing teachers, but the actions of those involved in this incident. As was stated, many of the membership probably knew nothing of what happened.


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

To be clear: I wasn't saying you were. I was explaining my general testiness on this subject.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Hey, she is a great teacher!!

She should get a pay raise, along with every other teacher in the world!


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Plainsman said:


> > What the NDEA did I am sure is legal, but it was in very poor taste. If they were presenting awards and this lady was teacher of the year she should have been invited. Yes invited, it would have been good public relations. The only reason to keep her out was to snub her. She wasn't one of them. They will loose more members rather than gain.


Heaven forbid the organization could give the Teacher of the Year a one year honerary membership. They might get more members doing something like that. Just a thought!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

omegax said:


> Longshot said:
> 
> 
> > Considering she is the Teacher of the Year, I wouldn't be surprised if she already does this. Some put a little more into their work than others and many times it shows.
> ...


My mother was a teacher omegax. So was my brother, his wife, my brother-in-laws wife. My wife has a degree in elementary education among other things, and as a backup plan in college I have a secondary education degree. Most teachers are good, some drink the NDEA cool-aid. Some want to teach students. Some believe the liberal garbage and dumb down America. Teachers are like policeman, fireman, farmers, biologists, sort of like all the rest of us. In the end the NDEA I think does more damage than good.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

I was a member for many years.I didn't agree with NEA and would not have joined them if I didn't have to in order to belong to the state and especially the local.I knew teachers who went to the national conv. and came back and told horror stories about inner city schools and the weapons problems.It made it somewhat easier to understand their stance on gun control.Even though I didn't agree.

I wanted an input at negotiations time.If you don't belong you have no say.In fact I negotiated numerous times.Kind of like voting today.....if you don't do it,you have nothing to complain about.

Also I wanted the liability insurance provided by belonging.And also representation if anything ever came up such as gertting riffed.W/o those things you are out on a limb by yourself.And believe me that isn't pleasant to be in those situations.Believe me $500 is cheap if you ever need those things.

So,yes I stand up for teachers including the teacher's union.We aren't all the same but as in any group you insult them as a group......you insult me. :eyeroll:


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Ken, I agree 100% with your last post,,,,,,,,HOWEVER when I was speaking up for the NRA a few years back seems to me you were one of those who had a few lame excuses for not joining. I even offered to buy you a year membership if I remember correctly. The offer is still open. With any organization you have to weight the good and the bad and work to change the bad.

I still work with one of your fomer students. He still says you were far and away one of the best teachers he ever had. :beer:


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## tigerdog (Jan 24, 2008)

I've had bad experiences with the SDEA. I have a hard time stomaching the NEA. This story is only one among many other stories casting a dark shadow over the NEA and its affiliates. Organizations such as the Christian Educators Association are gaining members as a result. They offer many of the same benefits as NEA, but for a fraction of the cost. More importantly, members can join without being forced to support such a liberal agenda.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> We aren't all the same but as in any group you insult them as a group......you insult me.


I certainly will insult their decisions and their leadership. If they were all like you Ken I wouldn't insult any of them. 
I do find teachers about 80% liberal. When I worked for the government I would guess my co-workers were about 95% liberal. 
Ken you and I should have had minority benefits I think.


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## JustAnotherDog (Oct 16, 2005)

Morning workout before classes start:


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

here is the rest of the story straight from the NDEA newletter.

North Dakota Teacher of the Year
Accorded Proper Respect
We would like to once again congratulate Beth Ekre of Fargo for becoming North Dakota Teacher of the Year. The North Dakota Education Association previously honored Ekre at its 2008 General Session in Fargo, on the morning of Oct. 23, 2008.

Ekre was honored before approximately 1,000 people with the Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, National Teacher of the Year, the National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel, and the press in attendance. The crowd appreciated her comments.

"She received the same honors as every Teacher of the Year," said Draper. "And, those accolades will continue, because the North Dakota Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by the National Chief State School Officers."

Before the Instructional Conference, Ekre was asked to join the Association twice but refused, and she was told in September that she would not be able to attend the NDEA Celebration of Excellence (an event for NDEA members only, who have been recognized for outstanding educational achievement such as Milken Award winners), which was held later in the day, if she was not a member.

"I gave her a list of all the things that NDEA could not do for her if she was not a member," said Association President Dakota Draper. The Celebration of Excellence was on that list. Why would someone who refused membership twice expect to receive the same rights as a member?"

"It's amazing that this is probably the first time in history that the North Dakota School Boards Association stood up for a teacher and especially that Jon Martinson thought the issue was important enough to take to a legislator, who in turn took it to the media, without checking with the NDEA about the facts," said Draper. "Usually their position is to keep teachers suppressed."

Draper said, "We intended to stay silent on this issue, but we have had overwhelming support from our members on our decision not to allow Ekre into a member-only event."


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

Norm, Mr Draper has been quoted many times on many education topics in ND papers. He comes across as demeaning and less than truthful. I do not have a dog in this fight it's just my observation. I would think that if Ms. Ekre was told she wasn't welcome she wouldn't show up. I don't know her either maybe she is a vindictive person that will push people. But that type usually aren't regarded as the best in the teaching profession. It looks like the NDEA took a blow to their public relations and are trying to justify their actions in their own newletter.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

We have had award winners in my curriculum that were not part of the professional association. In all cases they were given a free membership and invited to our conference and social afterwards. We have always given a free year membership to both those who are already a member and those who are not. How better to show a nonmember the benefits to the organization and try to get that person, who has shown to be at the top, involved.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

longshot

That is the point I was trying to make in my post. But then again if they did that for many awards nationwide it could be a lot of free memberships to give out at 500 bucks a pop!


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Fallguy said:


> longshot
> 
> That is the point I was trying to make in my post. But then again if they did that for many awards nationwide it could be a lot of free memberships to give out at 500 bucks a pop!


I can understand that. Every group has to look at the cost/benefit ratio. I think in the end it is still a good thing to do. I pay $450 for 2 state associations and professional registration fees a year. I don't see a whole lot of benefit from the association, but they have you over the barrel when it comes to continuing education credits. What can you do.


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