Craney Leaves Stronger Union

As Terry Craney prepares to leave office after six years as WEAC president, he says he feels confident that the organization is strong, vibrant and poised for future success.

“It truly has been an honor for me to serve the members of this dynamic organization,” said Craney, whose future plans are as yet undetermined. Craney has served the maximum two terms allowed under the WEAC constitution. Stoughton teacher Stan Johnson has been elected to succeed Craney on August 1.

“I firmly believe Wisconsin has the best public school system in the nation, and one of the best in the world,” said Craney, who taught applied physics and mathematics at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay for 21 years before taking over the reins at WEAC. “And the reason is we have the absolute best teachers and support staff.”

In addition, Craney said, he is proud of WEAC as an organization.
“We are an effective organization because we have effective members,” he said. “I have so enjoyed working with and for our broadly diverse members, who are active on many fronts fighting for education, children, and their professions.”

That includes not only K-12 public school teachers and support staff but educators in the Wisconsin Technical College System, state education professionals at the Department of Public Instruction and state institutions, Student WEA members, WEAC-Retired members, and UW System academic staff.

“It is the dedication of our members in every membership category that makes WEAC what it is,” Craney said.
Working with these active members and WEAC staff, Craney said he is proud of many WEAC accomplishments over the last six years.

When he took office in 1995, he noted, Tommy Thompson was governor and trying to dismantle the Department of Public Instruction, revenue caps and the QEO had just taken effect, Newt Gingrich was threatening to abolish the U.S. Department of Education and cut Title I programs, and much of the general public was convinced that public schools were broken.

“I wanted to work with WEAC members and leaders to fight those bad ideas and to replace them with positive actions to help educators and children across this state. And together we have had success,” he said.

During Craney’s tenure, WEAC:

• Increased membership 20% to a record high 90,000.
  
• Adopted a pro-active legislative agenda.
  
• Worked with legislators to win passage of the highly successful SAGE class size reduction program.
  
• Helped win passage of legislation that eases the impact of school district revenue caps.
  
• Worked in the Legislature to significantly modify the Qualified Economic Offer law by requiring that education credits not be included in QEO salary increases.
  
• Won legal battles to preserve DPI and to return money to the retirement account after the governor raided that fund.
  
• Won passage of Act 11, the new retirement bill, which is now awaiting a Supreme Court ruling.
  
• Worked to improve teacher licensure and help teachers take control of their profession.
  
• Developed the award-winning Internet site, “OnWEAC,” and began work on OWL.org, the national Internet-based education portal that will be launched next fall, with WEAC as a pilot state.
  
• Developed a nationally recognized ESP certification program through the WEA Professional Development Academy.
  
• Implemented Great Schools, which Craney said “is energizing our members and increasing community involvement.”
  
• Developed a public relations program that is aggressively telling the story of Wisconsin’s great schools.
  
• Mobilized members to become involved in elections and in the political process.
  

That member involvement has paid off, Craney noted. Last November, public education was victorious in Wisconsin as 70 of 85 WEAC recommended candidates were elected to office and 15 of 17 school referendum questions were passed.

In addition, the overwhelming victory of Elizabeth Burmaster in the April state superintendent election and the election of pro-public education members to the Milwaukee School Board were “huge successes” for public education, he said.

WEAC Executive Director Michael A. Butera said Craney leaves a legacy that includes an emphasis on effective member involvement.

“Terry recognized that the strength of WEAC lies in its involved membership,” Butera said. “During Terry’s two terms, WEAC created new mechanisms to get more and more members involved in activities that promote public education and the education profession.

“Great Schools is a part of that, as is the SPRING program for young members, expanded WEAC community relations activities, greater member involvement in elections, and increased member lobbying activities that include the WEAC Cyberlobby.

“Terry can take great pride in knowing the organization is strong because of his leadership on many fronts, including the increased level of member participation under his leadership,” Butera said.
Craney noted that many challenges remain to be addressed. The QEO and revenue controls are still in place, and Wisconsin educators and children are suffering as a result.

“Clearly, my biggest disappointment is that the children in Wisconsin public schools and the world’s greatest teachers and support staff continue to suffer as a result of these unfair laws,” Craney said.

“We continue to make progress, but our need to fight for public education will never end.

“This organization keeps getting better and stronger, and I am confident our members – with their incredible dedication and resolve – will succeed in preserving and improving upon the exceptionally high quality of public education they have created in this state.”

Posted May 31, 2001