- Request the purpose. If an administrator invites you to a meeting that you feel may involve disciplinary action, ask the purpose of the conference.
- Seek help from a representative. If you feel the purpose of the conference is to investigate an event that may lead to disciplinary action, or to discuss the proposed discipline, contact your site leader or local president for assistance. In some districts, you may have the right to schedule the conference at a time when an association representative can be present.
- Stop the conference. If you attend a conference that begins on a positive note but deteriorates into addressing possible discipline, ask to stop the conference until you can obtain advice and representation.
- Be prepared for an administrator’s reaction. A few administrators may feel threatened by the presence of a representative. Some may even indicate they will not allow a representative to be present. Your local association may have negotiated rights to representation.
Keeping the Promise of Quality Public Education
With more than 20,000 members, the Arizona Education Association (AEA) is the labor union for public school employees in Arizona. AEA members are teachers, community college professors, counselors, speech pathologists, bus drivers, secretaries, retired educators and student teachers and they belong to more than 150 local affiliates across Arizona.