Distinguished educator and teacher trade unionist Willard McGuire passed away on 2 February at his home in Minnesota. He was 79. McGuire served as president of the National Education Association, the largest education union in the United States, from 1979 to 1983. A devoted children's advocate, he used the power and influence of NEA members to capture the attention of lawmakers and improve public education. During his tenure in office, then-President Jimmy Carter elevated the Department of Education to cabinet status.
McGuire also was known internationally as a cultural bridge builder. From 1993 to 2001 he served on the EI Committee of Experts.
EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen recalled that McGuire played a role in encouraging the WCOTP and IFFTU to start dialogue in the mid eighties, dialogue that ultimately resulted in unity between the two federations and the founding of Education International in 1993.
“He was a great friend of EI,” van Leeuwen said.
Friends remember McGuire as a humble man who was extremely proud to be a classroom teacher. After completing his duties as NEA president, McGuire took a 50 percent pay cut to return to the classroom.