Here's a look at the press release VEA Communications put out to the media in advance of our convention:
116 South Third Street
∙ Richmond, VA 23219
www.veanea.org ∙ 800-552-9554 (Toll Free) ∙ 804-775-8379 (Fax)
www.veanea.org ∙ 800-552-9554 (Toll Free) ∙ 804-775-8379 (Fax)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 25, 2019
Public Demonstration, Legislative
Honors to Highlight VEA Convention
Event will kick off Thursday evening,
March 28, at the Richmond Convention Center
Virginia
Education Association members will take to the streets Friday during the
Union’s three-day convention this week at the Greater Richmond Convention
Center.
Some
600 elected delegates, who are teachers and school support professionals from
across the Commonwealth, will also consider a range of important public
education issues and chart the organization’s course for the year ahead during
the convention. The event begins Thursday evening, March 28, at the Richmond
Convention Center and runs through Saturday, March 30.
On
Friday, VEA President Jim Livingston will release new data showing that that
the gap between Virginia teacher salaries and the national average is growing. The
pay gap already exceeds $9,200, and Virginia teacher pay since the Recession,
adjusted for inflation, has declined 8.5
percent.
As
part of VEA’s ongoing “Fund Our Future” campaign, convention delegates, wearing
Red4Ed attire and accompanied by a red school bus, will march around RCC Friday
afternoon.
“Despite
very recent state efforts to raise teacher pay, Virginia has not caught up,”
says Livingston. “We will be marching to draw attention to the fact that we
risk losing talented teachers to states that pay more, and we’re going to find
it even harder to attract great teacher candidates to Virginia.”
During
Friday morning’s session, VEA will honor elected officials, highlighted by the
awarding of Legislators of the Year to The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.
Delegate Lamont Bagby, Caucus Chair, will be on hand to accept the award. VEA
will also give several Legislative Champion Awards to the officials listed
below.
“Our
delegates will discuss and work through some of the most pressing challenges
facing public education in Virginia,” said Livingston, a middle school math
teacher from Prince William County. “It’s also an excellent time for us to push
forward in our efforts to get better school funding and to honor legislators
who led the charge for more equitable school funding.”
he
convention also features an awards banquet Friday evening, at which VEA will honor
deserving supporters of public education in Virginia, both individuals and
organizations. A list of honorees will be available to media members in a
separate release that day.
##
Media
members interested in covering the Delegate Assembly should call Tom Allen in
VEA Communications at 804-274-9569. Please bring appropriate credentials to the
Convention Center.
2019 Legislative Champions
·
Delegate Hala Ayala
·
Delegate Jennifer Carroll-Foy
·
Senator Mark Peake
·
Delegate Debra Rodman
·
Delegate Bob Thomas
·
Delegate Cheryl Turpin
·
Delegate Lee Ware
