Schaubach ends 40-year career in teaching, union leadership

In the 40 years between, Schaubach has seen it all – changes in classroom teaching, from the growing diversity in schools to the near-obsession with test scores; challenges to the ways public schools are funded and operated; and a growing professionalism and militancy among teachers, fostered in large part by their labor organizations.

Judy Schaubach addressed the crowd at her retirement dinner in May. Photo courtesy of Education Minnesota

Schaubach was a key figure in the merger of the Minnesota Education Association and the Minnesota Federation of Teachers to create one, statewide organization – Education Minnesota – that is seen as a leader among education unions across the country.

It was a path she didn\’t envision in her early years of teaching, when she dropped in and out of the classroom to give birth to two daughters.

"That was before we had maternity leaves," she recalled. Many school districts required women to leave the classroom when they reached the fifth month of their pregnancy.

Schaubach, who has a master\’s degree in instructional media, started out in the Mounds View public schools. But in 1974, her family moved to Red Wing and the young educator faced a new challenge – operating the library media center at the Minnesota Correctional Facility.

At the time, the facility housed both male and female juvenile offenders, with the goal to educate them so they could be reintegrated into society.

But the library media center was not equipped to do that, Schaubach recalled. "When I came, it was in total disarray. I had to literally strip it apart and start over."

That willingness to roll up her sleeves would serve her in good stead as she was drawn into activism in her union – the State Residential Schools Education Association – a small local of the MEA representing educators at state-operated facilities. Soon, Schaubach was on the negotiating committee and, when the president of the local was laid off, she was elected to replace him.

The role was a crash course in dealing with state politics and learning to work with the other unions that also bargained with the state. Schaubach developed lifelong friendships with union leaders such as AFSCME\’s Pete Benner – executive director of the largest state employees union – that would prove critical in the changes ahead for the teachers\’ unions.

In 1987, Schaubach ran and won the election for Minnesota Education Association secretary-treasurer and in 1994 was elected MEA president. Until then, most leadership positions had been held by men.

Teachers across the state were weary of the rivalry between the two competing teachers\’ unions and wanted change. "Part of my platform was to get the merger done," Schaubach said.

She and her counterpart, MFT President Sandra Peterson, built consensus within their unions – and maneuvered through the bureaucracy of their national organizations – to bring their members together.

Events, like an upcoming gubernatorial election, helped drive the merger. So did the personalities of Schaubach and Peterson.

"People say because women tend to see power in a more collaborative and shared way" we were successful, Schaubach said. "Sandra had a real commitment to getting this done as did I . . . The leadership was critical."

Nearly 10 years after the creation of Education Minnesota, Schaubach is optimistic about the future for the union and its new president, Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers President Tom Dooher.

Through campaigns such as "Schools First," Education Minnesota has taken the lead in working to improve schools and uphold teacher standards. Support professionals are joining the union to improve their pay, benefits and treatment.

But Schaubach is frustrated that schools aren\’t getting the funding they need, while they\’re asked to do more.

"People say, \’How much is enough?\’" she noted. "It\’s not enough if there are 40 kids in a class."

She worries that young teachers will drop out — and veteran teachers will burn out – under the pressure.

"Quality teachers are the single most important factor," she said. "We are going to have an enormous shortage of teachers if we don\’t raise pay and improve working conditions and have quality mentorships" to guide younger teachers.

Most of all, Schaubach wishes educators could build strong working relationships with public officials.

"I\’ve never really had a governor I could work with on a good partnership basis," she said. "We could begin to develop an honest approach to funding our schools instead of starving them."

Will Schaubach channel this desire into a new career in politics, like her colleague Sandra Peterson, who now serves in the Minnesota House?

"I have no interest in running for political office – none!" Schaubach declared. Instead, she plans to take some time to think about her future when she steps down as Education Minnesota president June 30.

"I have four grandchildren and I\’m looking forward to being with them," she said.

Barb Kucera edits Workday Minnesota.