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Rumple
Joined: 19 Sep 2007
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 Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:27 am Post subject: Foreign teachers association seeks input on new constitution |
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The Association for Teachers of English in Korea is about to start writing a constitution. If you have input as to what you'd like that to look like, or you just want to be one of the charter members and participate in the ratification vote, you'll want to sign up for ATEK and maybe get involved with the discussion on the forums.
Last edited by Rumple on Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Rumple
Joined: 19 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:56 am Post subject: |
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Mmmkay...so now a constitution's been proposed.
I don't know if doing this is against the rules of the ATEK forum or not, but I'm posting here what their media relations guy put up.
| Foreigner wrote: |
I've drafted bylaws for ATEK.
I'd like interested persons to tear them apart. This is just a proposal. Show me where they work, and where you think they don't work. It is a long document (14 pages), but I have created a summary here.
The summary of the summary is that ATEK will have a Council of Reps drawn from each province. Each province will send a hagwan rep, a public school rep, and an adult ed. rep. That's 30 reps on the council. The council will set general policy and direction. The council will elect a board of directors from among itself, and the board will take care of day-to-day stuff and respond to crises. The hagwan reps will govern a commission for hagwans. The PS reps will govern a commission for PS, and the adult ed. reps will govern a commission for adult ed. Members can join one of the commissions, and the commissions will generally be the ones that work on developing opinions and white papers. There will also be standing committes that (among other things) will develop programs and services for members.
Here is the article-by-article summary. Anyone who wants the full version, send an email to [email protected] and I will send it to you.
Bylaws Summary
Article I - Mission
Forum members are still discussing this.
Article II - Membership
There will be general members and associate members. General members are E and F series visa holders currently teaching in Korea, or having left Korea within 3 months (this way if you take some time off between contracts, you don't lose your membership). Associate members are those who don't meet the above criteria but want to be members. ATEK has the right to drop someone from membership for violating ethical principles of the association (so if we get another C. P. Neil we can drop him).
Article III - Bill of Rights for Members
All general members have the right to vote, hold office, and be fairly considered for appointment to the governance structure. Voting may be done by mail or electronically. All members will be treated with respect and without discrimination. Any members who feel aggrieved can petition the council for a redress of grievances.
Article IV - Power and Functions of the Council of Representatives
The Council of Representatives will be the legislative (policy-deciding) body of ATEK. They have full authority over the affairs of the Association, and can review the actions of any group in ATEK including the Board of Directors.Council will hold an annual business meeting..Council will pubish minutes of in-person meetings and allow inspection of online deliberations. Provincial associations and the general membership may make Council vote upon any matter.
Article V - Composition of the Council of Representatives
The Council is made up of 3 reps from each province: one hakwan rep, one public school rep, and one adult education rep. The hakwan reps also govern a hakwan commission, the public school reps govern a public school commission, and the adult ed. reps govern an adult ed. commission. That way people primarily deal with issues of concern to them. Only provincial associations may elect their representatives, and if a province doesn't elect some, then that province goes unrepresented.
Article VI - Commissions
There are three Commissions: the Commission on Public Schools, the Commission on Hakwans, and the Commission on Adult Education. Each Commission's governing council is comprised of the particular Representative from each province that was elected to represent that Commission�s constituents. Any member can apply to join one commission. Members can vote in an advisory capacity so that the governing council knows what their constituents want. Commissions remain autonomous in matters within their scope that are not reserved to Council or the Board of Directors.
Article VII - Board of Directors
The Board of Directors are a President, VP, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, chief staff officer (without vote) and the three Commission Chairs. The Board of Directors conducts day-to-day business of ATEK and directs the chief staff officer.
Article VIII - Officers
The officers are President, VP, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and chief staff officer. The President will be elected directly by the general members. The chief staff officer will be appointed by the Board of Directors. The VP, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer are members of the Council of Representatives who are elected to the BoD by Council (i.e. Council will elect three of its own). The President runs the show. The VP runs the show if the President can't. The Recording Secretary publishes minutes and keeps records. The Treasurer manages finance. The chief staff officer manages all volunteers and paid staff of ATEK.
Article IX - General Elections
The Board of Directors, Council of Reps, and/or General Membership can call a general vote to decide issues of special importance or controversy. Rules for how these are called and conducted are covered.
Article X - Deliberative Groups
There are a number of Boards, Committees and other groups which exist. Those that don't currently exist can be created ad hoc. The groups which exist (more can be added) are: The Finance Committee, the Board of Convention Affairs, the Ethics Committee, the Election Committee, the Board of Educational Affairs (teacher training and sharing of best practices, and curriculum development resources), the Board of Professional Affairs (developing standards and guidelines for TESL, recognizing contributions to TESL through awards and honors, and proposing ways to enhance English education), the Board of Legal Affairs (advances the understanding of Korean labor law, tax law, immigration law and provide resources for the same), and the the Board of Expatriate Residency (identifies and shares issues common to teachers living in Korea, developing solutions for common problems, and providing information and resources to members).
Article XI - Provincial Associations
Provincial Associations are governed their own way, independent of ATEK, and may act independently of ATEK. They are affiliated with ATEK, but ATEK may move to cut that affiliation if conditions of affiliation are not met.In matters of mutual concern to the Provincial Associations and the Association, it shall be the responsibility of ATEK to encourage and assist the Provincial Associations in taking responsible action and, when advisable, to formulate standards of uniform practice that will guide the Provincial Associations. It shall be the responsibility of each Provincial Association to keep the Association and other Provincial Associations adequately informed of actions affecting the welfare of Members beyond its own provincial boundaries
Article XII � Affiliation of the Association with Other Organizations
Council may establish affiliation with national and international professional organizations by two-thirds vote of those present at a meeting, may elect such representatives thereto as are necessary and proper, may authorize the payment of appropriate fees for such affiliation, and by two-thirds vote of those present at a meeting, may terminate such affiliation when it is not in the interest of the Association.
Article XIII � Central Office
The Association shall maintain a Central Office for the promotion of the objectives of the Association, its Commissions, and Provincial Associations. The Central Office shall be established at such a place and with such facilities and functions as Council may direct. The chief staff officer shall be the Director of the Central Office. He/She shall report annually on the operations of the Central Office to the Board of Directors, to Council, and by publication to the membership.
Article XIV � Publications
The Association may publish an official publication and may maintain information services for members, such as lesson plans, curriculum plans, teaching tips, a contract database, complaint files on employers, etc.
Article XV � Annual Convention
There shall be an Annual Convention of the Association at a time and place to be determined by the Board of Directors. Joint meetings with related societies shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
Article XVI � Dues
The basic Association dues to be paid annually by General Members and Associate Members shall be determined by Council.Members in arrears shall not be considered to be in good standing for the purposes of voting or other benefits. Members of the Board of Directors, in return for their service, shall have Association dues waived for as long as they hold office.
Article XVII � Amendments
The Association, by vote of the voting Members may adopt such Bylaws or amendments to Bylaws as are deemed necessary for the management of the affairs of the Association. Amendments may be proposed (a) by Council, (b) by the Board of Directors when approved by a majority vote of Council, or (c) by petition of four percent or more of the Members of the Association. A copy of each amendment proposed, with space appropriate for voting and such explanations of the amendments are as deemed necessary, shall be sent to the last recorded address of each General Member. Pro and con statements shall accompany amendments unless two thirds of the representatives present and voting consider such statements to be unnecessary. Thirty days after the date of sending, the poll shall be closed and the votes counted by the Election Committee, which shall certify the result to Council at its next meeting, at which time the amendment, if passed by two thirds of all the Members voting, shall take effect. |
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TheChickenLover
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: The Chicken Coop
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:24 am Post subject: |
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That was a good laught. A group of people who have zero power do really do anything in Korea acting like a bunch of civil servants by creating their own club that can't do anyting.
Bravo.
ATEK has ZERO power to do anything in respect to teaching in Korea.
If an employer decides to get rid of a teacher, ATEK has no legal standing in regards to the contract between the teacher & the school. ATUK can try to approach the employer & will most likely be told to get lost.
Another teacher is found. ATEK is rendered toothless & powerless legally.
ATEK is nothing but an empty shell that may sound good, but in reality has no power or substantive standing with respect to employment in Korea.
Chicken |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:34 am Post subject: |
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| Why bother? By the time anything like that gets anywhere, they'll be offering jobs to people in North America to bring people back home instead of living in Asia. |
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trachys
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:06 am Post subject: Respectfully, |
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| Rumple, I'm not sure that this is the best place to seek input on the constitution. |
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Join Me
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:43 am Post subject: |
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| While I give these people credit for trying, I think they are going to lose people's interest very quickly if they don't get it together. For the first week or more after they put their site up every time I tried to go to it I was taken to some other site. Now, when I try to view the forums it tells me I must be a member. Problem is I am a member and as far as I can see there is no place for members to sign into the website. Not going to hold anyone's attention too long this way. |
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kprrok
Joined: 06 Apr 2004
Location: KC
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:10 am Post subject: |
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To be fair and honest, at least they appear to be trying to do things properly. Only problem is I don't think they'll ever get anywhere. Koreans will probably dismiss them completely, and they won't get enough members to actually accomplish anything without some support that probably won't materialise until they have enough members.
KPRROK |
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Rumple
Joined: 19 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:46 am Post subject: Re: Respectfully, |
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| trachys wrote: |
| Rumple, I'm not sure that this is the best place to seek input on the constitution. |
Actually, I think this is an excellent place to get input, because I think we need to cast a wide net. Disregard the people that say "It won't work," and listen to people that take issue with actual points in the summary.
If there are any. That remains to be seen.
And now you know that at least one member has problems logging in. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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It's easy to sit back and snipe at people attempting to do something constructive. Everyone who has had trouble with shady bosses--which means almost every single one of us--has wanted some kind of organization that knows how to help.
I'm not a joiner type of person myself, but I applaud the efforts of these people.
I also believe the Korean government will be responsive, given the sensitivity of this country to criticism. |
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Oreovictim
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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Sure, this group might not have any real power, but it's a start in the right direction. You just have to think positive and stop with the self-defeating attitude.
Uh, by the way. I'm trying to access the site, and I can't. |
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cbclark4
Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Location: Masan
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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"Members of the Board of Directors, in return for their service, shall have Association dues waived for as long as they hold office. "
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trachys
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject: this it true |
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URLS for ATEK: http://atek.or.kr/ or http://www.atek.or.kr/
Oreo, are you getting a 404 message?
Join Me, our apologies, it took a while for the domain host to give us www.atek.or.kr, which may explain what was happening. To access the board, hit 'Login' on the forums page, upper right corner.
To report problems with the website please email [email protected] |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
It's easy to sit back and snipe at people attempting to do something constructive. Everyone who has had trouble with shady bosses--which means almost every single one of us--has wanted some kind of organization that knows how to help.
I'm not a joiner type of person myself, but I applaud the efforts of these people.
I also believe the Korean government will be responsive, given the sensitivity of this country to criticism. |
(bolding mine)
Expats (including foreign businessmen) have been complaining for years. And I doubt the Korean government even is aware of ATEK's existence.
Although if they ever DID become aware the response would likely be mass deportations and bans. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| . The PS reps will govern a commission for PS... . Members can join one of the commissions, and the commissions will generally be the ones that work on developing opinions and white papers. ] |
The government runs and controls public schools. They are NOT likely to be responsive to foreigner commissions telling them how they should be run...or even making suggestions. This is a non-starter. |
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TheChickenLover
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: The Chicken Coop
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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Some people decide to put up a webpage representing teachers.
This association has ZERO STANDING in relation to working in Korea.
'Standing' refers to legitimacy to be involved in the legal proceedings between an employer & the employee. It's no different than a cyworld club that claims to have legitimacy, but it only has power with its membership. Outside the club, it's 100% irrelevant.
ATUK has none. It is as previous stated, a non-starter. All the 'hopes & expectations' are not going to amount to anything. Doing all this work for nothing isn't a 'good start' or 'trying to do something', it's a waste of time.
We will watch the rise & fall of ATEK in a matter of weeks. Deportations could very well be a result of this.
Chicken |
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