They came from different parts of the state, at different stages of their professional careers and were of different political persuasions. But one thing they had in common was their belief that analyst and campaign strategist Donna Brazile had it right when she said: "I want an education president in 2008."

Of course, the enthusiastic reaction to Democrat Brazile's comment came as no real surprise: She was addressing nearly 400 local leaders who participated in the Pre NYSUT RA Local & Retiree Council Presidents Conference.

They were in New York City for a chance to discuss a broad spectrum of issues with NYSUT officers and take part in seminars ranging from tenure determination and tax caps to mobilizing for the 2008 elections and preparing today's students for college.

The fiery Brazile, who had drawn rave reviews for her keynote address at NYSUT's "Every Child Counts" achievement gap conference last fall, gave the political junkies in the crowd — and there were many — what they wanted.

Answering a question from Priscilla Campbell of the East Hampton Teachers Association, Brazile said it was her hope the contentious battle for the Democratic presidential nomination wouldn't overshadow what has been, in many ways, a banner primary season with records in turnout, new-voter registration, fund-raising and participation by energized young people.

"This is a moment we should not lose just because we feel passionate about one candidate or another," said Brazile, an uncommitted super-delegate to the national Democratic convention. "We need a majority. We need a president. We need a Congress that has a backbone."

What Brazile wants is "a president who knows that it is morally wrong to bail out Wall Street and not be prepared to bail out Main Street."

Albany talk

It wasn't just national politics on the minds of NYSUT's leaders. President Dick Iannuzzi and Executive Vice President Alan Lubin shared details of the new state budget and an amendment to state tenure law that was targeted by NYSUT critics and the media as the RA began.

Officers credited local leaders with mobilizing members in efforts to secure a good education budget and to protect their right to tenure.

Iannuzzi and Lubin cited the local leaders who led the charge to fax legislators more than 9,000 messages sharing and supporting the union position.

Barry Kaufman, a former NYSUT local leader now of the state AFL-CIO, urged participants to get involved through their area labor federations: "One person getting it done is an activist. Many getting it done is a movement."

Call to duty

Meanwhile, Iannuzzi acknowledged the many challenges local leaders face every day.

"The hardest job in NYSUT is your job — to be a local president," he said. The decisions "are what make you stare at the ceiling at 4 o'clock in the morning."

Iannuzzi looked at leadership from many angles. Using surveys of members and leaders, he pointed out how they demonstrate strategies that "we know are necessary to achieve our common goals." The challenge, he said, "is to accept the responsibility to carry through with those strategies even when they make us uncomfortable."

He urged the audience to use the various tools NYSUT makes available to local leaders, such as a special leader section on the union Web site.

The conference also provided a number of useful tips and advice through focused workshops. NYSUT Research and Educational Services offered a session on peer review programs and the growth model, and helped local presidents calculate how a tax cap would affect their individual school districts.

In another workshop, retirees shared success stories for organizing social action and outreach in their communities.

A lively session on higher education included a presentation by Lee Jones of the College Board, who discussed student readiness for college.

He described how the board is addressing social learning and social integration at the middle level, while encouraging middle-level teachers to view more students as college material.

The conference is under the auspices of the office of NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira, with the help of Peggy Barmore, assistant to the president.

"We work hard to ensure that our local leaders go back with relevant and timely information that impacts their members," Neira added.