New UEA Head of Government Relations Hired

Larry Shumway, state supt. of schools, said (in an article in Deseret News a couple of weeks ago) "Comparing poor school funding with children who get a terrible sunburn at a summer pool, the bad effects are often seen later. Down the road, the cumulative effect harms our work force, it's felt in our communities, 10 years and 20 years later."

It will be the goal of UEA's newest lobbyist, Kory Holdaway, to lead the legislative battle when the session starts in January. Kory, a former UEA member from Taylorsville High, is eager to get started. He also has the experience of being a former Republican Legislator in the House. He brings this experience to the job of lobbying the legislator and working to elect educator-friendly candidates.

Please help by being aware of the issues and contacting your legislators.

Thanks Rick

Teachers should be treated with respect and trust

John Florez, in a SL Trib comment from Nov. 23, wrote "People don't mind paying taxes on education but not if it's just to keep it on life support." He goes on to say, "Public education will change when its leaders create a culture where teachers are treated with respect and trust in their professional ablilities." I don't always agree with Mr. Florez on all of his opinions, but I do agree that the culture needs to change in Utah. We, as educators, need to continue to be professionals in all aspects of our jobs.

Rick