A favor (for a teacher) to ask if you don 't mind

[Omaha Steve]

I am a school teacher who is the lead union rep for the 130+ teachers in his building.

I am also a blogger, as teacherken, at dailykos and elsewhere.

I am trying to get to Netroots Nation 11 in Minneapolis this summer, but I need help.

My school district has seriously cut our compensation. I lost national board stipend, costing me the match from the state, and have been furloughed 4 days - and our wages are frozen. I am down $8,800 in income since last year.

Thus the only way I can go this year is to win one of the Democracy for America scholarships.

The best way to win won of those is to finish in the top three of the first round of voting, which goes through March 28. I had been in first, but have slipped to second.

I need all the help I can get.

I let a total of three panels on education at the first two events, in 2006 in Vegas and 2007 in Chicago, when they were called Yearly Kos. Among my panelists were then Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa and then Commissioner of Education of Nebraska Doug Christensen. In 2008 in Austin I had a panel of three very politically active young people, ages 15, 17 and 18, that was taped and later broadcast by CNN. In 2009 in Pittsburgh I chose not to be on a panel so I could actually attend more.

My blogging is not just about education, as you can see by this piece I did for CNN.com -

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-23/opinion/berstein.labor.unions_1_unions-corporations-salaries?_s=PM:OPINION


I note that my piece went up about the same time as one by Michelle Rhee and I got more than 3x the number of recommends.

Last year in Vegas I was unable to attend because I was volunteering at a free dental and medical clinic in Wise Virginia, co-sponsored by RAM and by the Mission of Mercy of the Virginia Dental Foundation.

I really want to be at this year's event, but will not be able to go without the scholarship.

Thus I want to ask you for your support. You can go here

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/netroots_nation_scholarships/

click on my picture and vote for me. If not sure, you can read what I said in my application, which will come up when you click on the picture.

If so inclined, and if not too much of an imposition, you can also ask others to support me.

The voting is supposed to indicate some sense of our ability to organize.

Thanks for reading.

I apologize if you view this as an intrusion.

I will be grateful if you choose to support me.

Peace

teacherken aka ken bernstein

Kenneth J. Bernstein

[NYC_SKP]

1. Done.

For Mr. Bernstein.

NYC_SKP

K/R

[elleng]

2. Done

Good luck.

[Dappleganger]

3. Done and tweeted!

[KarenS]

4. Voted for you!! K&R n/t

[GeorgiaPeach]

5. done

[TuxedoKat]

6. Very happy to vote for you! (nt)

[Lefta Dissenter]

7. K&R

...and supported...

Good luck. Make sure you keep us all posted! :pals:

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I was a scholarship winner in 2009

It was a wonderful experience. I'll gladly recommend for this teacher.

[Lil Missy]

9. done

:hi:

[checks-n-balances]

10. Done.

I wish you all the luck in being awarded the scholarship.

And I cannot imagine having my yearly salary cut by $8,000.
:(

[pacalo]

11. Most gladly done. Good luck!

[cally]

12. done

[Kip Humphrey]

13. Done

Enjoy Minneapolis, my hometown (actually, Wayzata, in western suburbs).

[NYFlip]

14. Done

Good Luck!

[Nevernose]

15. Done, kicked, rec'd, and facebooked.

Good luck!

[w8liftinglady]

16. Done,and GOOD LUCK. C'mon,DU,he needs about 100 ..

[madmax]

17. Done K&R Go TeacherKen nt

[Generic Other]

18. done and glad to do it

good luck!

[Irishonly]

19. Happily done

Good luck

[Broken_Hero]

20. Done, nt

[southernyankeebelle]

21. Done. Good luck

[somone]

22. Done!

[dwilso40641]

23. Done N/T

[mrmpa]

24. done. eom

[EFerrari]

25. Done.

Good luck to Ken.

[lbrtbell]

26. Consider it done! K&R! (n/t)

[Zoeisright]

27. Done. Good luck!!

[Rhiannon12866]

28. K&R! Done!

:kick:

[BigBearJohn]

29. done

[Omaha Steve]

30. Kick

[Starry Messenger]

31. k&r

[blueamy66]

32. done

and kicked