The staff union claims Murphy strung out negotiations by hiring an outside attorney who demanded reductions in staff benefits and expense accounts. The unnamed attorney had previously represented school districts in contract negotiations against NEA New Hampshire local affiliates. Staffers held informational picketing of union headquarters in Concord during the summer and credited the support of local union officials for their success.

2) Washington Staff Gets Two-Year Deal with Moderate Raises. EIA has learned that the recently settled negotiations between the Washington Education Association and its staff resulted in a two-year agreement, with average raises described as "just under" the cost of living -- about 3 percent — although professional staffers at the top of the scale reportedly did slightly better. WEA managers were unable to negotiate any of the benefit reductions they were looking for, but they seem to be more than satisfied that they held the line on salary hikes.

3) NEA and AFT to Release Joint Report on ESEA Next Summer. Implementation of the new Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) at the local and state levels continues to dominate the attention of both NEA and AFT. High ranking officials from both unions were notified of a joint NEA-AFT effort to collect data on the first year of ESEA, to be used in a report for release in 2003 at the end of the school year. The unions plan to use the report to support their case for modifications of the federal law.

4) Baltimore County Makes Latest Attempt to Snuff Out Black Market in School Choice. Several times in the past, EIA has reported on the phenomenon of parents lying about their place of residence in order to place their children in better public schools, and the extraordinary efforts of school district officials to halt the practice. The latest to join the crackdown is the Baltimore County schools in Maryland.

Some principals in the district estimate that as many as 5 to 10 percent of their students are ineligible to attend their schools. Most of these students come from the city of Baltimore, which has the same problems associated with most inner-city school districts. Baltimore County parents made it clear they don’t want those students in their school system. "When you allow that to happen, you allow those behaviors to come in -- negative behaviors," community activist Ella White Campbell told the Baltimore Sun.

Superintendent Joe A. Hairston vowed to put 35 staffers to work on the problem. The task force would check student records, pay visits to listed county residences, and examine tax rolls to confirm residency claims.

5) Table Manners in Georgia Constitute an Emergency. School officials in DeKalb County, Georgia, are to be commended for their decision to offer a pilot program in dining etiquette to their high school students. What’s harder to defend is the decision of Gov. Roy Barnes to devote $7,000 from the state’s "emergency fund" to help pay for it.

Reporter John McCosh of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution uncovered the questionable payment, as well as dozens of others, made from a fund created to expedite the movement of state money to local communities struck by fires, tornadoes or other natural disasters. Even school administrators from DeKalb County, which has a $706.5 million operating budget, were puzzled by the source of the state’s largesse. "That’s damn strange that we have emergency etiquette," said county schools spokesman Spencer Ragsdale, evidently angling for the "Understatement of the Year" award.

6) Columbus Disaffiliation Effort Causing Confusion in Ohio. On August 19, EIA reported on a disaffiliation effort by the leaders of the Columbus Education Association. Details were scarce then, as they are today, four weeks later. While the disaffiliation attempt is the subject of much internal discussion within the hierarchy of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), none of those officially involved care to share their thoughts with EIA.

Nevertheless, EIA has learned that the Columbus local, nationally known for its Peer Assistance and Review program for classroom teachers, is seeking only to disaffiliate from Central OEA, a regional affiliate of the OEA. In Ohio, as is true with several other states, NEA locals cluster to form regional affiliates. These regional affiliates then send representatives to the OEA Representative Assembly, which sets policy for the state union.

Since Columbus is a large local, it sees itself as contributing a greater share of Central OEA’s $600,000 budget than it receives in services rendered. About one-third of Central OEA’s expenditures are for staff and officer salaries, fringe benefits and stipends -- this in addition to the staff provided through national and state dues.

What, if anything, Columbus’s actions will mean in the larger scheme of things is uncertain. Even OEA and Central OEA seem unsure of the ramifications, as they seek guidance on the issue from their own attorneys. EIA will continue to track the story.

7) Recommended Reading. EIA is certain this didn’t turn up on anyone’s recommended 9/11 lesson plans, but an excellent article by Thomas Jewett deserves consideration because it has actual academic content (!). "Terrorism in Early America" details the events of the mostly forgotten Tripolitan War. Those with an interest can find it at http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2002_winter_spring/terrorism.htm