Face to Face with Decision Makers: UniServ Dinners Provide Direct Access to Them
The most effective way to communicate with legislators and other public
officials is to talk to them face to face.
That is why UniServs regularly have legislative banquets where members
freely interact with decision-makers in an informal setting.
One of the best such banquets is put on annually by the Coulee Region
United Educators. The evening includes a dinner, a chance for legislators
to speak to members and — most importantly — a chance for
members to speak to legislators.
CRUE also uses the opportunity to honor people in the community for
their efforts in support of public education.
This year’s dinner, held February 10 at the University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse, featured speeches by State Sens. Rodney Moen and Brian Rude,
State Superintendent John Benson and U.S. Congressman Ron Kind.
Among the more than 300 guests were area school board members, administrators,
and community business and government leaders.
Members then had the opportunity to meet personally in small groups
with their legislators and share their concerns and needs.
John Benson
Benson, who is seeking re-election April 1, thanked CRUE and WEAC members
for their past and continued support.
“You stood by us, and I will be forever grateful for that,”
he said.
Benson said he is working to make Wisconsin’s academic standards
“the best in the country” and is willing to work with the
governor in developing a new set of standards.
Benson said he also welcomes the governor’s technology initiative
outlined in his State of the State speech, saying the governor surprised
him by “going way beyond what I proposed” in the area of technology.
“I want that for our children,” he said. Benson came out
strong on the issue of safety and discipline, saying we must have a
“zero tolerance” policy for students who bring weapons or
drugs to school and for students who are physically violent.
He also stressed the need to develop a common core of values that are
instilled through public schools — values including respect and
honesty.
Ron Kind
Kind praised President Clinton for putting children and education at
the top of his priority list.
“I think there is a changed environment in Washington that is
recognizing how important education is,” he said.
Rodney Moen
Moen said Wisconsin needs to make a stronger commitment to equipping
its public schools with modern technology and providing teachers with
the necessary training in technology and computers.
“When it comes to educational technology, we are behind and we
need to catch up,” he said. “I think we can do better.”
Moen said rural schools, in particular, are having a difficult time
keeping up with technology. He noted that Internet access is much more
costly in rural areas.
He noted that the governor has proposed exempting educational technology
purchases from school revenue caps. Although the details of that plan
were not clear, he said, it sounded like a positive step.
Brian Rude
Rude said he is co-sponsor of a bill that would give teachers the authority
to remove from their classrooms students who are uncooperative, disruptive
or dangerous.
“This sends a clear signal to the kids that the teacher is precisely
the person who is in charge of that classroom,” Rude said to a
round of applause.
“The key concept is to empower teachers to be in charge of their
own classroom. A safe learning environment is important for kids who
want to learn.”
Currently, Rude said, teachers are handcuffed by school policies and
the threat of lawsuits.
It is essential they be allowed to regain control of the environment
in their classrooms, he said.
Posted March 4, 1997