Kerry rallies in Madison during WEAC Convention

WEAC members have an additional reason to attend this week's annual Convention: they can attend a rally for presidential candidate John Kerry.

Sen. Kerry will hold a noontime rally on the Capitol Square in Madison on Thursday, October 28. WEAC will provide buses for members who wish to attend the rally.

"We urge all WEAC members to come to the Convention and attend the rally to support our recommended candidate," WEAC President Stan Johnson said. "The race in Wisconsin is razor-thin and WEAC members can make the difference on Election Day. Every member's vote counts. We ask members to not only vote on November 2, but to make sure family members and friends also vote. The future of public education and our profession rides on the outcome of this election."

Tickets to the rally will be provided to members at the Convention.

WEAC will provide buses to and from the rally. Buses will pick members up after the 10:00 a.m. General Session at the Alliant Energy Center.

Buses will return members to the Exhibit Hall, so members can attend sessions and visit exhibits.

WEAC members are encouraged to wear red clothing - especially Great Schools T-shirts and sweatshirts - to the WEAC Convention Thursday and Friday. Wearing red shows support for candidates who support great schools.

Bus tour rolls through Wisconsin

From Hudson to McFarland, WEAC and National Education Association leaders talked last week to teachers, education support professionals and citizens about education issues and the importance of voting.>/p>

NEA Vice President Dennis Van Roekel, NEA Executive Committee member Mark Cebulski, WEAC Vice President Terry Meyer and WEAC Secretary-Treasurer Mary Bell traveled Wisconsin on a bus October 22-23 to stress the importance of education and voting.

They visited Hudson Middle School, where they met with teachers and education support professionals before school started.

The bus traveled to Summit Elementary School in La Crosse, where they talked with teachers and education support professionals about education issues. Members provided homemade treats, and Vice President Van Roekel read to 2nd-graders.

"It's exciting to listen to our members talk about their work with children," he told a WEAC rally the next day. "They get animated. Their faces light up."

On October 23, the bus traveled to the Capital Area UniServ office to greet members, after a rousing rally at the WEAC Board of Directors meeting in Madison.

"This election is a fork in the road," NEA President Reg Weaver told about 300 WEAC members at the rally. He said one fork offers a presidential candidate who "believes one test will determine children's futures," wants to continue and expand voucher programs, and will not advocate for health care benefits for working people.

Weaver said the other fork offers John Kerry as a candidate for president who will work for great schools and school employees.