An open letter to OEA members,

After 37 years as an Agriculture Education teacher, and for many of those years as a local union leader, I

am reaching out to you as I look back on my time and service to our community schools. This has been a

most trying time for all of us, and I am proud of the way we have all pulled together as an education

community to advocate for the students we teach.

I never thought my career would end like this. My decision to retire was the hardest one I’ve ever had to

make in my life. That being said, I felt it was important to explain my situation and my actions over the

difficult past two months. All of us have been struggling to make sense of actions on the state level that

will certainly impact our futures, our students’ futures, and the entire community’s future.

Take, for instance, the attack on our collective bargaining rights that came out of the blue just over a

month ago. It was astounding – the thought of our voices being stripped from school conversations

about things like curriculum, prep time, just cause and safety. It was difficult to determine what we, as a

union, should do to stand up and say “This is wrong for Wisconsin.”

All my years in various OEA leadership roles could not have prepared me for what the next step should

have been. With the future of our profession and public schools at the forefront, I made the decision to

ask those of you who could to find a way to have your voices heard in Madison. I know it wasn’t an easy

thing to ask of you. For those of you teachers and support staff who followed your hearts and made the

difficult decision not to report to work, your courage speaks volumes. I hope our dedication and

commitment isn’t misconstrued.

It’s important for me to tell you that I inappropriately used school e-mail in communicating with you all

those weeks ago. It’s a decision for which I’ve taken responsibility and have accepted school board

disciplinary action that includes an unpaid suspension. I tell you this so that you, as educators and active

union members, don’t make the same mistake I did. I encourage you to review the district’s e-mail

policy and the guidance our state union has shared with members.

Our actions during this crisis have been grounded in our strong passion for the future of Wisconsin and

the need to retain quality public schools. While the ripple created from my decision over a month ago

will settle, the wave that will be created from a more than $5 million cut in state aid will bring long-term

damage to our local schools. As members of the Oshkosh Education Association, I know each of you,

along with the members of the Oshkosh Paraprofessional Education Association, are committed to

working with the District Leadership, Board of Education and our entire community to fight against

these crushing blows to our public education system, because Oshkosh needs strong schools to move

forward.

And educators don’t give up. Our commitment to ensuring our students receive a quality education is

strong. Over the last month, I have been inspired by the unity among our members, parents and the

community around the value we place on our schools.

Through good times and bad, our union of educators will continue to be strong advocates for our

students, schools and the greater Oshkosh community.

In closing, I want to thank you for the support you have given to me as your outgoing OEA president and

longtime colleague of the Oshkosh Area School District.

Keep charging.