by Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
Though the National Education Association is often thought of as a liberal organization, one local woman is working to let her fellow conservative teachers know that they are not alone.
Laura DeRuve, of Edgemere Drive, is a fifth-grade teacher at Robert Morris School, in Bound Brook. A Republican, Ms. DeRuve was a Republican nominee for Township Council in the current election, but stepped aside in July. Despite pulling out of the race, Ms. DeRuve is active in the South Brunswick Republican Organization, and in August attended the second annual NEA Republican Leaders Conference in Minneapolis.
”I am politically active in the Republican Party, and when they decided to convene the conference I was recommended to go,” Ms. DeRuve said. “The goal is to get conservative members of the NEA to become more active.”
Ms. DeRuve was the sole NEA member from New Jersey to attend the first conference in 2007, also in Minneapolis. However, she said that four other teachers and a lobbyist joined her this time for the Aug. 27-30 conference. She was given the opportunity to sit on a panel and discuss her experience as an active party member to encourage newcomers to the GOP.
The conference featured panel discussions by various Republican NEA members, a Republican National Convention update, a political overview of the presidential race, as well as congressional and gubernatorial races, and regional workshops on grassroots organizing. Minnesota Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, Michigan U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty also addressed the meeting.
Ms. DeRuve said her goal is to form a New Jersey Republican Educators’ Caucus, to lobby in Trenton. However, she said her real mission is to work with anyone who puts students and schools first.
”Ultimately, my goal is to find politicians that have goals that will benefit our students and public educators, no matter what party affiliation they come from,” she said.

