The Role of Teacher Rights’ Representative 1. To listen actively and without judgment to any complaints, concerns and issues brought by the member against their employer. 2. To accompany the member upon his/her request to a meeting with the principal or superintendent. · Your role is to take notes and ask any clarifying questions.3. To keep all material and concerns confidential.4. To call your local association president immediately with the concern or give your president’s name and phone number to the member.5. To stop the member immediately if a possible criminal action is involved. Claims against a teacher of threatening or abusing a child need a specialized type of advice. You do not want to be called to testify as to the statement given to you. Have the teacher call the UniServ Director.6. To be familiar with the contract and to appropriately advise members on timelines for filing grievances and responding to evaluations.7. To refer any questions that you cannot answer to the UniServ Director.8. To assist with devising the best strategy for satisfying the member’s needs and to work with your local association and UniServ Director to set about securing it.9. To remember that there are always at least three sides to every disagreement: the accuser’s, the accused, and the truth.10. To give the emotional and moral support the member needs while realizing that your job is not a psychological service.11. To ensure that the procedures and processes are followed and not to judge, but to defend members against accusations and allegations. The unfairness or fairness of the allegations will be decided by someone else.12. To keep the local association president and the UniServ Director informed about all actions that have or have not been taken.
13. To understand that you are not an attorney and that you are not giving legal advice. Legal advice is for KNEA attorneys to provide and can be given through the UniServ Director as a liaison to the member.