This award shall represent encouragement of, striving for, and protecting individual and collective employment, and human and civil rights in the teaching community.
The award further assumes that all teachers are committed to those principles. However, those individuals and associations whose continuing and extraordinary efforts bring to life these principles are hereby recognized and encouraged to continue their efforts.
The activities of each local and/or individual shall be judged on their relative merits without comparison to other locals or individuals.
The Epperson-Peters Award shall acknowledge excellence in the following areas: (1) contract enforcement; (2) contract negotiation; (3) teacher rights; (4) protection of civil and human rights; (5) recognition of the right to be different (6) willingness to pursue legal and contractual rights without regard to individual consequences; (7) defense of academic freedom; (8) organizing of local associations for the benefit of improved working conditions; and (9) those personal qualities of perseverance, principles and compassion which are exhibited by the local association or local association member in the aforementioned areas.
Applications for the award may be submitted by KNEA staff, a UniServ District, and individual KNEA members or local association.
Applications will be available at each UniServ District office and are to be sent to the KNEA President.
The award committee shall be comprised of seven members appointed annually by the KNEA Board of Directors.
The award committee shall include two UniServ Presidents, two members of the KNEA Board of Directors, the KNEA President, and one member each from the Professional Negotiations Advisory Council and the Human and Civil Rights Advisory Council.
No more than two representatives on the committee shall be from the same UniServ District. The committee may select recipients for the award or choose not to give the award.
KNEA shall fund the expenses of members to the committee.
The award shall be an amount of money based upon the income from invested funds as determined by the committee.
The Epperson-Peters Award shall be presented at the Representative Assembly.
The Epperson-Peters Award shall be permanently funded through a trust established for that purpose and shall not be funded from the general annual revenues of Kansas NEA.
Nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. February 1.