Fall Representative Assembly highlights

Michigan author wins Distinguished Service Award

Author Patricia Polacco received the Michigan Education Association's Distinguished Service Award Saturday, the organization's highest honor. She signed copies of her books, including "January's Sparrow," her latest, before receiving the award at an association event.

A Michigan author – who couldn’t read until a teacher discovered she was dyslexic – is the recipient of MEA’s Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor.

Patricia Polacco received the award at the Representative Assembly Saturday, where hundreds of MEA members from around the state gathered to conduct association business.

Polacco, said she was overwhelmed with the attention, telling member-delegates that she saw their admiration as she signed their books before the award presentation. Educators, she said, deserve praise.

“You need to know what a glorious job you have,” Polacco said. “Every day you are saving lives and you don’t know it because we don’t get back to say thank you…None of this would be if it weren’t for people like you.”

Among Polacco’s many book titles is “Thank You Mr. Falker,” an autobiographical story about her own struggle with not being able to read. Mr. Falker was the teacher who helped Polacco learn to read even though she has dyslexia.

In other business at the Representative Assembly:

Brit Satchwell, President of Ann Arbor Education Association

• MEA President Iris K. Salters thanked members for their work to educate lawmakers about devastating state budget cuts as well as House Bill 5345, the proposal for a state-run health plan for public employees. “Now is not the time to be complacent,” Salters said. “The battle for the future of public education – for our future – rages on.”
• MEA Executive Director Lu Battaglieri announced association plans to develop legislative proposals dealing with school funding and other education reforms.
• Delegates received several progress reports on business items from the Spring Representative Assembly. Last spring, delegates directed MEA to research the feasibility of organizing substitute teachers who work for private companies. On Saturday, delegates were informed that more study is necessary.

Updated: November 11, 2009