Take Back AEA from NEA

To:

AEA Members

From: JoeL.
Y*QFAL
RetiredAss{fiate ExecutiveSecretary
Date:

October30,2015

RE:

ProposedChangesto the AEA Constitution and Bylaws

STOP,READ AND THINK!

For 42 yearsPaul Hubbert and I worked for you to make AEA great. We never lied to you,
nevermisled you and neverbetrayedyour trust. We supportedyou and you supportedus. Paul is now
dead. I askyou to trust me andjoin in the fight to saveAEA.
The NEA is deceivingus and has taken over AEA. They have sent a man from Minnesota,
called him a Trustee,and claim that he aloneruns the day-to-dayoperationsof the AEA. He claims
absolutecontrol over our rules, regulations,bylaws and policies including the DelegateAssembly,
President,Board of Directors, the budget and the HeadquartersBuilding. Even though the AEA
Constitution and the Merger Agreementrequire the AssociateExecutive Secretary(AES) to assume
the dutiesand functionsof the ExecutiveSecretary(ES) when the ES is absent,this hasnot happened.
Upon the resignationof Dr. Mabry as ExecutiveSecretary,the ES position becamevacant. It is still
vacantbut they will not let the currentAES, GregoryGraves,assumethe duties. I wonder why? The
Trustee and some others are working feverishly to circumvent undermine,and weakenthe Merger
Agreement. This agreementhaswithstoodthe test of time for 45 yearsunintemrptedand undilutedbut
now becauseNEA wants AEA to operatelike a union, it is proposinga union model i.e., SecretaryTreasurer, change the title of the Executive and Associate Executive Secretariesto Executive
Directors. You know what will be next; a mergerwith the American Federationof Teachers(AFT).
You must opposeall of these arnendmentsthat weaken the Merger Agreement, establish a union
model,or keepAEA underendlessTrusteeship.
Two of your brave board members,Bonita English, a classroomteacherfrom Mobile and
Darryl Traylor, a support professional, from Bimingham have liled a lawsuit to Take Back the
AEA from NEA. Don't let them down; they are fighting for you; they are frghting for AEA. The
sameAEA that has beenthere for you for the past 45 years.
The Trustee is spreadingmisinformation. He has most of the ofFrcersand board members
scared'to hell and back." They think that the Trusteecan replacethem. He has fired employees
(Curtis Travis) on "grapevine gossip." He is telling you and anybody else who will listen ttrat ttre
HeadquartersBuilding is being threatenedand only he can save it. That is NOT TRLIE. That
building doesnot have a mortgage. We paid for it when we built it. The best thing for AEA is for
NEA to sendthe Trusteeback to Minnesotaand stoprying to run AEA from Washingtonand forcing
NEA's policies and views on AEA. None of you askedthat the Constitution be changed;that is a
demandfrom NEA. Thereis no basisfor NEA or the Trusteeto confiol and direct us.
was takenfrom the EducationTrust
Our LegislativeSessionwas a grandfailure; $80"000,000
Fundby the legislatureandAEA is calling that a major victory. That's a major LIE! All the gainsand
advanceswe madeunderthe Merger Agreementwill be lost if we don't wake up and fight back! We
must encourageall Delegatesto the DelegateAssemb$ in December to VOTE NO on these
bylaws and amendments.We must take back AEA from IYEA!

Vote NO on theseBylaws and Amendments