Dear Ms. Felton, 

As a member of the Newport News Education Association and the Virginia Education Association, I was incredibly disappointed to see that the Virginia School Boards Association is promoting a blatantly anti-union workshop. As a union that understands the power of a collective voice, we have always believed there to be an inherent partnership between educators and school board members, since we all share the common goal of working for the betterment of our students. But reading that your organization would be training and offering credit to school board members who learn how to “avoid”, “delay” and “deter” organizing among educators is extremely disappointing and antithetical to the spirit of any partnership. 

Research overwhelmingly shows that when educators have a bargained work agreement, our students benefit (Rubenstein & McCarthy, 2014). Student outcomes increase, educator vacancies decrease, and the entire community wins as a result. VSBA should be embracing the prospect of a unionized Virginia, not fighting it.

Instead of avoidance, we write to demand that your organization change the content of your seminar and instead educate your members on the benefits of a negotiated collectively bargained agreement. Our local, and the Virginia Education Association, stands ready to help you retool and refocus your training on what Virginia Public Schools really need—a fair, collectively bargained contract for its educators.

Sincerely,
David Hudson