Constitution of the Lower Merion Education Association:


ARTICLE I - NAME

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Lower Merion Education Association, hereinafter referred to as LMEA.

Section 2. The organization is a local association of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, hereinafter referred to as PSEA and Educational Support Professionals, hereinafter referred to as ESP. LMEA is an integral part of PSEA and ESP regions of the State Association.

Section 3. This organization is an integral part of the National Education Association, hereinafter referred to as NEA.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

The purpose of this Association shall be:
  1. To promote sound educational programs in the Lower Merion School District;
  2. To protect and advance the interests and welfare of Association members;
  3. To foster high standards of conduct among Association members;
  4. To advance professional standards;
  5. To establish and maintain helpful, friendly relations among its members and with the community;
  6. To enable members to speak with a common voice on matters pertaining to the total educational program and to present the individual and common interests before the Board of School Directors and other legal authorities; and
  7. To promote cooperation with PSEA and NEA in carrying out their avowed objectives.


ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any person who is an employee of the Lower Merion School District, or any person filling a vacancy created by an employee on leave, may become an Active Member of this Association by agreeing to abide by the NEA and PSEA Codes of Ethics of the Education Profession, by agreeing to abide by the Constitution, By-Laws and policies of this Association, and by paying the annual unified dues of NEA, PSEA, and LMEA. It is further provided that anyone who is filling a position of 50 percent or less service (full-time teaching schedule for one-half year or half-time teaching schedule for an entire year) shall pay one-half dues for that year. Reserve membership is available to any active member who is on unpaid leave from the District and who is a reserve member of PSEA.

Section 2. Those employees who have a work schedule consisting of three (3) hours or less per day shall pay one-half dues.

Section 3. All retired employees shall be eligible for Retired Membership in this Association.

Section 4. Daily Substitutes shall be eligible for Substitutes Membership in this Association.

Section 5. Active Membership shall be subject to the Maintenance of Membership provisions of Act 195, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1970, as amended.

Section 6.
  1. Any person who holds membership in any organization, the objectives, programs, and methods of which are inimical to the interests of the Association, or which contend with the Association for the right to represent the staff of the School District before the Board of School Directors, shall be ineligible for membership in this Association.
  2. If any violation of this policy is discovered involving a member of this Association, the Executive Council shall, without delay, initiate the proceedings provided under Article l, Section 4 and 5 of the By-Laws.


ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

Section 1. There shall be officers consisting of President, 1st Vice President, Vice President Professional, Vice President Support, Secretary Professional, Secretary Support and Treasurer.

Section 2. Officers shall serve a term of one (1) year. Any officer may be re-elected without limit and without intervening terms.

Section 3. All officers shall assume office on September 1 following their election.

Section 4. The 1st Vice President shall assume the duties and/or office of the President during the absence, incapacity, resignation, or any other circumstance which leaves the office vacant.

Section 5. The names of all Association officers, their addresses and phone numbers, shall be filed by the Secretary with the Secretary of the Mideastern Region and with PSEA immediately upon their election.

Section 6. To be eligible to be an Association officer, a person shall remain an Active Member while in Office.

Section 7. To be eligible for the position of Vice President Professional or Secretary Professional, the employee must be a member of the professional staff; to be eligible for the position of Vice President Support or Secretary Support, the employee must be a member of the support staff. All other offices shall be open to any member of the Association.

Section 8. Any reference, in the Constitution and/or By-Laws, to President, Vice President, Secretary and/or Treasurer, shall mean Association officers.

ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Section 1. The Executive Council shall consist of the Association Officers, the representatives of each school and/or department, the chairpersons of the Elected and Standing Committees, and four (4) delegates-at-large. Three delegates-at-large shall be appointed by the President. The fourth delegate-at-large shall be a minority representative elected by the minority members of the Association at the time of the May elections.

Section 2. The Executive Council shall be the executive authority within this organization shall prepare and propose policies and actions to the General Membership. Only elected representatives and elected officers may vote on issues before the Executive Council.

Section 3. Whenever a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Executive Council shall agree that the President has been grossly negligent, or that any other officer has been grossly negligent, is incapacitated, or for any other reason is unable to serve, the Executive Council shall declare the office vacant, and shall, in all cases except that of the President, immediately elect a replacement to serve until a special election can be held at a General Membership Meeting to fill the vacancy.

Section 4. Any member of the Association who is not a member of the Executive Council may attend its meetings and may receive permission to speak.

ARTICLE VI - GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

The General Membership Meeting shall be the legislative and policy forming authority of this Association and shall exercise control over all business of this Association except as herein otherwise delegated.

ARTICLE VII - BY-LAWS

By-Laws not inconsistent with this Constitution may be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members present at a stated meeting of the General Membership of the Association. The provisions of any By-Law, except the quorum By-Law, may be suspended for a single meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present.

ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS

Section 1. No alteration, addition, deletion, or amendment shall be made to this Constitution unless by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members attending a regular meeting of the General Membership, or at a special meeting of the General Membership, called for that purpose.

Section 2. Such change shall be proposed in writing, either by the Constitution Committee or endorsed by a minimum of ten members, be drafted in proper technical form by the Constitution Committee, be presented to the Executive Council, and be posted in each building one week prior to the General Membership meeting.

Section 3. When a proposed amendment has been approved by the Association, the Constitution Committee is authorized to make those necessary changes in wording of any and all other sections which are affected by that change.

ARTICLE IX – COMPLIANCE PROVISION

This Association’s Constitution and Bylaws shall conform to and be consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of PSEA.

ARTICLE X – NON-PROFIT STATUS

This Association is not organized for profit and no part of its earnings shall inure to the benefit of any private member or individual. In the event of the disaffiliation with PSEA, liquidation, or dissolution of the Association, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, no member shall be entitled to any distribution or division of the remaining assets of the Association, including funds and property or its proceeds, and the balance of all such assets held by the Association at the time of the disaffiliation, liquidation, or dissolution, after the payment of all debts and obligations of the Association, shall become property of PSEA, subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

ARTICLE XI - EFFECTIVE DATE

The Effective Date of this amended Constitution shall be May 15th, 2019.