JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The longtime leader of the area’s largest teacher’s union abruptly announced her retirement. Terrie Brady served as president of Duval Teachers United for more than two decades.
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This is just one part of a major shakeup in the union’s leadership after the organization’s vice president announced retirement earlier this month.
According to an email obtained by Action News Jax, Brady helped further engage in meaningful public policy, helped successfully negotiate contracts without an impasse, and passed two ballot initiatives that supported both school construction and employee salaries.
“I think we were collectively stunned. Never saw this coming. It really caught us off guard,” Chris Guerrieri, a DTU member and DCPS teacher, said. “She was a fierce advocate for public school teachers and support staff here in the county and I think she accomplished a lot.”
The announcement came nearly two months after Action News Jax reported the FBI and IRS raided the union’s San Marco office as part of a federal investigation. An FBI representative said agents were conducting a court-authorized search but did not have any updates to share Tuesday.
To be clear, Action News Jax does not know if there’s any connection between the investigation and Brady’s retirement. We reached out to Brady for answers about the surprise announcement, but so far have not heard back. Guerrieri said her term did not end until next Spring.
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The DTU said in part, “President Brady has done a lot of great work for Duval County teachers, staff, and students over the past 40 years. She has earned her retirement.”
It’s left some staff members with concerns.
“Questions that can bring fear and lack of understanding, these are tenuous times for a teacher normally and I think about what’s happened -- the union has lost their top two officials; the district can’t hire a superintendent,” Guerrieri said.
DTU said its executive board voted Monday night on a new president and vice president. Their names will be released after a meeting with school leaders on Wednesday.
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