TREND Spring 2017 | Page 32

continued from page 9 Many teachers, especially impressionable and overwhelmed new graduates, often feel tremendously pressured to join a teacher organization to acquire the protection of professional liability insurance. Unfortunately, some districts still violate the 14th Amendment by giving union members preferential treatment over non-union teachers. We will continue to fight to ensure equity for our members, such as guaranteed access to payroll deduction for their dues, and encourage our members to let us know of any opportunities for our organization to receive equal representation, such as summer in-services and new teacher orientations. It is important that teachers are informed, but we do not believe teachers need to be scared. Access to your legal protection is not dependent upon whether your case is determined to be in the best interest of Professional Educators of Tennessee. However, remember that the insurance policy only applies to occurrences during which the member has an active membership, and activities of an insured that begin during the coverage period. In no event is coverage provided for acts prior to membership. If members do encounter an incident that requires assistance, their concerns will be addressed by experienced education attorneys who are familiar with the laws and policies in our state, not by an unqualified “representative” who may unintentionally provide faulty information or counter-productive advice. We regularly work with superintendents, school board members, administrators, and teachers to resolve problems without resorting to litigation. Our goal is always to protect the interests of our members by working with all parties involved in a collaborative and positive manner. 1 Question Survey Why Did You Join Professional Educators of Tennessee? Click Here to Tell Us Why You Joined You could even win free attendance to Leader U 2017! If you don’t mind us sharing your story with others and we choose your story to feature, we’ll invite you to the conference this summer as our guest so that we can video you telling your story. Not comfortable in front of the camera? We would also appreciate an audio recording, or your permission to share your story anonymously. We value your privacy, and will always respect your privacy preferences.