The Horace Mann League of the USA
Minutes of the Board Meeting on April 14, 2022.
Present: Ruben Alejandro. Virginia Cardenas, James Harvey Bill Mathis, Joshua Starr, Martin Brooks, Jeanne Collins, Martha Bruckner, David Berliner, Kevin Riley, and Jack McKay.
To view the agenda packet of this meeting click here.
Minutes: Motion by James Harvey, seconded by Virginia Cardenas to approve the minutes of the 2022 Winter Board and the 2022 Annual Meeting. Passed.
Reports:
Reviewed the membership status of the League.
Reviewed the financial status of the League through March 2022.
Reviewed the sale of the book, Public Education: Defending the Cornerstone of our Democracy. No information at this time.
Reviewed the podcast series and how to promote viewership.
Reviewed the Supreme Court decisions relating to prayer in public schools
Reviewed the position statement of the League about proposed regulations about charter schools.
Reviewed interest in the Assistant Director vacancy. One applicant as of April 14, 2022.
Action Items:
Motion by Collins, seconded by Mathis, to have the Executive Director send invitations to the 50 State Superintendents of the Year, the Executive Directors of State Superintendents, and members of the University Council of Educational Administration. Each individual will receive a one-year subscription to the HML Post, and an invitation to join the League.
Motion by Harvey, seconded by Cardenas, to not establish a committee on tours of Washington, DC. Passed.
Motion by Harvey, seconded by Collins to have the board make suggestions on revisions to the by-laws. Further that a comprehensive review of the by-laws takes place after the transition of the Executive Director, (after July 2023.) Passed.
Motion by James Harvey, seconded by Virginia Cardenas to set the Fall Meeting of the Board for October 20-21, 2022, in Austin. Passed.
Motion by Martha Bruckner, seconded by Jeanne Collins, to affirm the current by-laws that each officer and board member nominate a minimum ten (10) potential members per year. Passed.
Motion by Bill Mathis, seconded by Jeanne Collins, to adjourn the meeting. Passed.
To dos:
- Executive Director will send a letter to AASA to obtain the list of the 50 State Superintendent of Year awardees. Then inviting each to join the Horace Mann League. Each will receive the weekly HML Post for one year. Note to Goldman and Minichello on assistance.
- Executive Director will send a letter to each state AASA Executive Director asking for an email list of members. The Executive Director will follow-up with a letter of invitation for membership to each state member including a one-year subscription to the HML Post. Email to Execs will be sent during week of April 18.
- Executive Director will obtain a mailing list of the membership of the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA). The Executive Director will follow-up with a letter of invitation for membership to each UCEA member including a one-year subscription to the HML Post. Asked Kevin Riley and Bill Mathis for help.
- Executive Director will update the League’s website and the weekly Post to include the presentations at the Annual Meeting. Also on the website.
- Executive Director will contact Americans United about the League’s interest in being involved in future legal briefs regard religion in public schools. Letter to AU is to be done this week. April 18, 2022
- Executive Director will include brief summaries of chapters from the book, Public Education: Defending the Cornerstone of our Democracy, in the weekly HML Post. Harvey will do Berliner’s article in the book.
- Executive Director will contact Joshua Starr about possible promotion of the book, Public Education: Defending the Cornerstone of our Democracy, in future Kappan publication. Contacted Joshua about ideas.
- Executive Director will follow-up with the Teachers College Press on the sale of the book, Public Education: Defending the Cornerstone of our Democracy. Follow up on how are printed.
- Executive Director will schedule a Zoom meeting with the President for Thursday, April 21.
- Executive Director will include the article by Berliner on charter school corruption in the next HML Pos Done by Harvey.