Montana budget even better than thought 04/27/2012
Montana’s budget picture continues to improve beyond the original expectations of the state Legislature, as lawmakers were told Thursday there could be close to $500 million in surplus when they convene in 2013. Will they invest it? Depends on who gets elected.
May 4: Stand up against bullying 04/24/2012
Friday, May 4, MEA-MFT members will join their fellow AFT members across the country to stand up to bullying on Stand4Change Day.
Nominate now for Montana Teacher of the Year 2013 04/23/2012
The Montana Professional Teaching Foundation and Office of Public Instruction are now accepting nominations for the 2013 Montana Teacher of the Year. Nominations deadline: May 29, 2012,
Tax Day: thank taxes 04/17/2012
Tax Day is here. It's the day we pool our resources as citizens to buy the things that create a civilized society.
Rep. Assembly rocks! 04/02/2012
More than 400 MEA-MFT delegates rocked the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula March 30-31 at the MEA-MFT Representative Assembly.
LR 119 declared unconstitutional 03/21/2012
Should Montanans keep the right to elect their state supreme court justices and chief justice? Some legislators don't think so.
Wisconsin, one year later 03/12/2012
Reclaim Wisconsin! On Saturday March 10, 2012, more than 62,000 Wisconsinites returned to their state capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the passage of Gov. Walker's union-busting bill.
Congrats to MEA-MFT's members of the year! 02/06/2012
Each year, MEA-MFT honors several members who have made outstanding contributions in their jobs and as MEA-MFT leaders. MEA-MFT recently named our 2012 members of the year.
MEA-MFT COPE recommends Monica Lindeen for state auditor 01/30/2012
“Monica Lindeen has an impressive record of standing up for Montana citizens, protecting them from investment fraud, Ponzi schemes, and abuses by some insurance and securities companies,” said COPE member Janice Muller, a teacher in Hamilton.
Sensible solutions for state pensions 01/19/2012
Our public employee retirement systems are not going bankrupt today or tomorrow or in the immediate future. We have plenty of time to address unfunded liabilities if our legislature would abandon pension-envy politics and hysterical, too predictably partisan, rhetoric.
MEA-MFT COPE recommends Jon Tester 01/17/2012
“He’s right on education, right on public services, right on jobs, and right on the rights of working people to bargain collectively. He has a strong track record on all these issues.”
Dr. King, education, public service, & labor unions 01/13/2012
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicated his life to working for a more just and equal society. He believed that public education was the great arm of justice. He honored public servants as heroes. He believed in labor unions.
Sign petition in support of Head Start 12/16/2011
Funding for 2012 is still undecided, so now is the time to make Congress aware of the power of Head Start for children, families and communities. You can make a difference!
The money was there all along 12/06/2011
It's official: state revenues are even higher than the highest predictions. "The money was there all along to thaw state employee pay, to invest in k-12 and higher education, to build infrastructure and create good paying jobs, to avoid passing unavoidable costs down to local property tax payers and students.
Ohio voters crush attack on collective bargaining 11/09/2011
Congratulations to our brothers and sisters in Ohio! In a landslide victory, Ohio voters voted down a bill that would severely curtail the collective bargaining rights of public employees.
Nominate for presidential excellence awards 11/04/2011
Do you know a great Montana science or math teacher, teaching in grades K-6, with 5 or more years of professional teaching experience? Nominate him or her for this $10,000 award.
Grants for science fair teachers 10/28/2011
The Billings section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers has announced a new grant program designed to encourage more students to attend Montana’s regional and state science fairs.
Workplace bullying resources 09/12/2011
MEA-MFT Faculty Member of the Year Grant Mitman recommends the following resources on workplace bullying, from a special session at this year's NEA Representative Assembly.
Who do you "heart" this Labor Day? 08/29/2011
This Labor Day, let your family, friends and the public know that you support America's workers and the important work they do all year.
National poll shows strong support for teachers 08/17/2011
Americans admire and respect public school teachers more than ever. They respect the teaching profession, they like their local schools, and they recognize the role funding plays in school qualtiy.
Denise Juneau leads rebellion against NLCB 08/15/2011
Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau recently took on the U.S. Dept. of Education and the supremely flawed No Child Left Behind law -- and won.
Americans want jobs, not cuts to Social Security & Medicare 08/12/2011
The American Dream movement is busy this summer telling Congress what Americans really want when it comes to government spending and the economy. There’s a Contract For The American Dream that lays out a progressive alternative to austerity policies.
Montana Schools of Promise 08/07/2011
Montana Superintendent Denise Juneau has taken on a huge task, but if anyone can lead Montana toward real schools of promise, she can. And MEA-MFT will help every step on the way.
ALEC outed: the right-wing conspiracy behind bad bills 08/04/2011
Who's behind efforts to destroy public employee unions in Wisconsin and elsewhere, shove right-wing legislation through state legislatures, and turn over public services to for-profit corporations? Meet ALEC.
The debt ceiling deal: our take 08/02/2011
MEA-MFT is evaluating exactly how badly the newly adopted federal deficit/debt ceiling act will impact Montana public programs and services.
Unnecessary cuts hard to forget 07/22/2011
As we begin this fiscal new year, it’s a good time to think about what your state legislators are working toward: Long-term prosperity for Montana? Or pulling the rug out from under those trying to make a better life for themselves and their communities?
Unions key to reviving the middle class, Krugman says 07/12/2011
Many of the remedies being misapplied to the nation's ailing economy are nothing more than public policy myths that grew out of the oil-shock recessions of 40 years ago, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman told an AFT TEACH conference audience on July 11.
New resource guide for paraeducators 06/21/2011
The Montana Office of Public Instruction recently completed a new Resource Guide for Paraeducators. Several MEA-MFT members worked on this revision.