Michigan Education Association
Encyclopedia
The Michigan Education Association (MEA), headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan
, is a labor union representing more than 157,000 teachers, faculty and education support staff throughout the state. Usually referred to as a “teachers' union” its membership also includes college faculty, public school custodians, bus drivers, and paraprofessionals, among others. It represents people working in neighborhood public schools, those in charter school
s as well as school employees working for private companies.
While MEA works to serve its members’ employment goals, it also promotes public education
. It sees these goals as closely related. Through policies put in place by its elected Board of Directors, MEA advocates for polices it judges to be best for student success, for civil rights
and for the quality of life for all. Its mission statement states: “The mission of the MEA is to ensure that the education of our students and the working environments of our members are of the highest quality." Like other public sector unions, the MEA has come under fire in recent years for its defense of teacher employment protections. Controversy over the role of the MEA is part of a wider debate on the structure and funding of public education
in Michigan and around the United States.
In 1937 the MEA’s governing body, the Representative Assembly, authorized the development of a group hospitalization program. This was one of the first such health care
programs in the United States. Two years later, the Hoosier Casualty Company provided coverage for MEA members, administrated by local insurance agent Herman Henkel.
Michigan law forbade the MEA from acting as an agent for its members, so when Henkel retired in 1960, it was decided that a separate non-profit corporation would serve this function, and Michigan Education Special Services Association (MESSA) was born. 10,000 MEA members were enrolled at the time.
Tax-exempt under IRS 501(c)(9), MESSA qualified as a “voluntary employees’ beneficiary association” and could therefore offer group term life, health, and dental coverages, among others, to its members.
When the Michigan bargaining law was enacted in 1965, public school employees were able to organize into local bargaining units to negotiate salary, benefits and other working conditions. Insurance became a bargainable issue.
In 1984, MEA merged with the Michigan Educational Support Personnel, making MEA one of the first state associations to represent both teachers and other school personnel. In 2007, MEA membership exceeded 160,000.
Salters earned an undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University
in speech pathology, teaching of educable mentally impaired, and secondary education
. She holds two master’s degrees from Western, one in teaching the disadvantaged and the other in middle school education.
Salters was employed by Kalamazoo Public Schools
for 25 years as a special education
classroom teacher, consultant and speech pathologist. She was then elected president of the Kalamazoo Education Association/Kalamazoo Public Schools, a position she held from 1992-1999.
with emphasis in history
, economics
and political science
.
McLellan was a high school teacher from Reese, where she taught English and science for 32 years. McLellan held several offices in the Reese Professional Education Association, including president.
McLellan served for 10 years on the MEA Board of Directors. She was president of the Michigan Education Special Services Association Board of Trustees. She earned a master’s degree from Central Michigan University
.
Prior to his election as president, Battaglieri was president of MEA/NEA Local 1 which represents school employees in Wayne and Macomb counties. He also served as a member of the MEA and the NEA boards of directors. Battaglieri was a regional director for the National Council of Urban Education Associations, and has served on numerous other committees and task forces at the state and national levels.
Battaglieri taught social studies, math and computer classes as well as classes for at-risk students in the Fraser public schools from 1974 to 1992.
An alumnus of Michigan State University with undergraduate and master’s degrees, Battaglieri did his student teaching in Rome
, Italy
, at the Overseas School of Rome.
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
, is a labor union representing more than 157,000 teachers, faculty and education support staff throughout the state. Usually referred to as a “teachers' union” its membership also includes college faculty, public school custodians, bus drivers, and paraprofessionals, among others. It represents people working in neighborhood public schools, those in charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s as well as school employees working for private companies.
While MEA works to serve its members’ employment goals, it also promotes public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
. It sees these goals as closely related. Through policies put in place by its elected Board of Directors, MEA advocates for polices it judges to be best for student success, for civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
and for the quality of life for all. Its mission statement states: “The mission of the MEA is to ensure that the education of our students and the working environments of our members are of the highest quality." Like other public sector unions, the MEA has come under fire in recent years for its defense of teacher employment protections. Controversy over the role of the MEA is part of a wider debate on the structure and funding of public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
in Michigan and around the United States.
History
MEA was founded in 1852 as the Michigan State Teachers Association, five years before the National Education Association was organized, becoming the Michigan Education Association in 1926. Today it is the largest public employee union in the state and the third largest education association in the United States.In 1937 the MEA’s governing body, the Representative Assembly, authorized the development of a group hospitalization program. This was one of the first such health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
programs in the United States. Two years later, the Hoosier Casualty Company provided coverage for MEA members, administrated by local insurance agent Herman Henkel.
Michigan law forbade the MEA from acting as an agent for its members, so when Henkel retired in 1960, it was decided that a separate non-profit corporation would serve this function, and Michigan Education Special Services Association (MESSA) was born. 10,000 MEA members were enrolled at the time.
Tax-exempt under IRS 501(c)(9), MESSA qualified as a “voluntary employees’ beneficiary association” and could therefore offer group term life, health, and dental coverages, among others, to its members.
When the Michigan bargaining law was enacted in 1965, public school employees were able to organize into local bargaining units to negotiate salary, benefits and other working conditions. Insurance became a bargainable issue.
In 1984, MEA merged with the Michigan Educational Support Personnel, making MEA one of the first state associations to represent both teachers and other school personnel. In 2007, MEA membership exceeded 160,000.
President
Iris Salters was elected president in February 2006. She had served as vice president of the association since 1999.Salters earned an undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
in speech pathology, teaching of educable mentally impaired, and secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
. She holds two master’s degrees from Western, one in teaching the disadvantaged and the other in middle school education.
Salters was employed by Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo Public Schools are located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Graduates of the district are eligible to receive scholarships through the Kalamazoo Promise, a program launched in 2005 and funded by anonymous donors....
for 25 years as a special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
classroom teacher, consultant and speech pathologist. She was then elected president of the Kalamazoo Education Association/Kalamazoo Public Schools, a position she held from 1992-1999.
Vice President
Steven B. Cook was first elected vice president of MEA in April 2006. Cook had served as secretary-treasurer of the association since 1991. Cook was a paraprofessional for 15 years in Lansing Public Schools, worked as a community school coordinator, home/school liaison in the elementary attendance project and in alternative education. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
with emphasis in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
Secretary Treasurer
Peggy McLellan was elected secretary-treasurer of MEA in April 2006.McLellan was a high school teacher from Reese, where she taught English and science for 32 years. McLellan held several offices in the Reese Professional Education Association, including president.
McLellan served for 10 years on the MEA Board of Directors. She was president of the Michigan Education Special Services Association Board of Trustees. She earned a master’s degree from Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
.
Executive Director
Luigi “Lu” Battaglieri became executive director of the MEA in February 2006. He had served as president of the association since 1999.Prior to his election as president, Battaglieri was president of MEA/NEA Local 1 which represents school employees in Wayne and Macomb counties. He also served as a member of the MEA and the NEA boards of directors. Battaglieri was a regional director for the National Council of Urban Education Associations, and has served on numerous other committees and task forces at the state and national levels.
Battaglieri taught social studies, math and computer classes as well as classes for at-risk students in the Fraser public schools from 1974 to 1992.
An alumnus of Michigan State University with undergraduate and master’s degrees, Battaglieri did his student teaching in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, at the Overseas School of Rome.