Newport News Education Association

As educators, we are not supposed to believe we will get shot on the job; we do not usually handle that in any educational contract. As educators, we are not supposed to think that just because a child has behavioral issues, we should approve or know a child will shoot a teacher.
As an educator in the Newport News Public School system, we teach K-12 how to
become college, career, and citizen ready. We are not usually the ones that handle taking on the thought that being shot with a gun is similar to being stabbed with a pencil or cut with scissors, as one article stated. Educators understand that these supplies are a part of learning, but having a gun in school is not. Thank you, school board chairperson, Mrs. Laws, for taking my call today; we appreciate your transparency in clarifying the information that it is not the school board itself stating these comments but the lawyers for the worker’s compensation insurance
company saying these disrespectful statements in their motion to dismiss the case about how teachers should accept their opinion.
The workers’ compensation group lawyers motioned to dismiss Abby Zwerner’s case. I am an educator and the Newport News Education Association President. The Newport News Education Association, an affiliate of the Virginia Education Association, is the labor union for public educators and school workers in Newport News. The NNEA is one of the fastest-growing VEA locals in the state, and we are pursuing collective bargaining rights for NNPS employees to achieve more substantial contracts with pay and benefits.
As a union, we represent teachers, school principals, assistant principals, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, security officers, librarians, and their assistants. I will not speak on the merit of the case to dismiss; however, I will talk about the sickening, distasteful, and disrespect towards teachers and staff of our district. Unfortunately, these insurance attorneys have yet to learn what school administrators, teachers, and staff go through daily in the classroom and building. These lawyers have started a significant hurricane in our district by saying that being shot is part of what teachers signed up for. Therefore, being fired upon is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our community.
Every employee dealing with students daily should understand that we are not anyone’s scapegoat, for any court motions trying to dismiss a case on the backs of our educators is entirely demeaning and out of touch with the educational system process. We are professionals in the education system and demand respect as such. These statements are a slap in our faces. With the national teacher shortages now and the statements in the motion to dismiss, it is inconsiderate to the new recruiting teachers who may want to work for NNPS. They may directly go elsewhere and work, knowing how these lawyers have set these derogatory and distasteful statements. This motion has put a bad taste in the mouths of our current and new teachers who just started working for the school system across this district.
These insurance lawyers will understand that we seriously educate our students, and corporate out-of-touch lawyers will not step on us. We will not allow this to happen in our district. We appreciate the school board chairperson, Mrs. Laws clarifying our concerns. We will continue working with her and the school board members, along with school and executive administrators, to listen to our member’s concerns and continue our positive relationship.

Dr. James E. Graves
NNEA, President