The 2008 Education Minnesota Representative Convention March 14-15 focused on the collective strength of the union.

To meet the challenges facing public education, President Tom Dooher said, “We are going to do it together –- we are going to stand together –- and we are going to become an unstoppable force to ensure a world-class education for our students both of today and of tomorrow.”

Delegates elected nine governing board members and a National Education Association director. A 10th governing board member ran unopposed.

The union recognized two members with awards:

• Mary Broderick, president of the St. Cloud Education Association, received the Peterson-Schaubach Outstanding Leadership Award.
• Magaly Miralles, an English language learners teacher at Red Pine Elementary School in Eagan, received the 2008 Education Minnesota Human Rights Award.

The convention also recognized Education Minnesota Foundation grant recipients and Minnesota teachers who received National Board Certification last year.

The presidents of both national educator unions attended the convention. National Education Association President Reg Weaver and American Federation of Teachers President Edward J. McElroy are both retiring this year. Education Minnesota presented each man with a clock.

Dooher asked delegates to do three things:

1. He asked them to call or write the governor, urging him to sign a statewide health insurance bill for educators.
2. He asked them to call or write their local lawmakers, asking them to vote for extending the Rule of 90 to all teachers and asking them to vote for an inflationary school funding increase.
3. He asked every local to buy an ad in its community newspaper next month to thank the community for support. The Schools First! campaign will subsidize the cost.

The conference took place at RiverCentre in St. Paul.