The Michigan Partisan | About Me | Home | | Contact Me |

By Page W. H. Brousseau IV
TIMES STAFF WRITER

Looking at just the items which were agreed at this year's Annual Meeting, there can be little doubt the organization sees its first goal is to implement the Democratic Party Platform, not educative the nation's youth.

In not so many words, Item 2 calls for a boycott of Wal-Mart. The union says it is "[C]oncerned about the anti-public education activities of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton's family and the impact of those activities on public schools." What are the shocking things that the NEA must fight? Chiefly, vouchers and Right to Work. A memo released by two NEA officials, Reg Weaver and John Wilson, blames the store for the $1 billion that state and local governments irresponsibly throw at the retailer. They go further by rehashing the number of Wal-Mart employees that must live off the public dole. I could go further and say working at Wal-Mart is what happens when the education system fails. However, the NEA blames low wages on the employer not the worker's job skills or lack of education.

Some concerns are not as petty as school vouchers: "Item 32: Move that NEA, utilizing existing policy, study the feasibility of initiating a boycott of Gallo wine." Well, that will teach Johnny to add. Item 47 goes into detail, "The NEA will ensure that Gallo wines are not served at any function of the Association." They serve wine at teacher union functions? On second thought, where do I sign up?

The union came out for racial discrimination in opposing Michigan's Civil Rights Initiative to take race out of college admissions with Item 34. Their stated reason, "due to extensive fraud and deception in petition gathering." Ah, hem.

Item 53 gets a little queer, "The NEA deplores the inappropriate use of words such as 'retarded' and 'gay.' The usage of slurs like this is demeaning in nature and conveys a negative stereotype." I beg to ask when then is it ok to use the words retarded and gay, which can, after all, be used appropriately? My guess the NEA wants a total ban, which would be rather gay.

Lest you get the idea that all NEA business is classroom related Item 61 calls "on President Bush and Congress to: support our troops by creating an exit strategy to end the U.S. Military occupation of Iraq and bring our troops home." Wait, it goes further, "The NEA will: advocate the reordering of national priorities toward peace and the human needs of our people." I second the motion for a group hug with the head-chopping terrorists in Iraq. I recall Bush stating ad nauseum that we will return when the Iraqi government can protect itself and terrorist are not using it as a training ground. My guess: the NEA would rather come right out and call on Bush to give the country over to terrorists but ran out of wine, i.e. teacher liquid courage.

The union states it will "develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the new and more sophisticated attacks on curricula, policies, and practices that support GLBT students, families, and staff members in public schools." "New and more sophisticated?" Surely they do not mean the "Day of Silence" officially supported by NEA. The Day of Silence is a, "day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment experienced by LGBT students and their allies." During this day, more students learn because of the dictatorial silence from both students and teachers.

Great! The NEA cares about GLBT people. I do too, and feel no one should be harassed in school. Since NEA is on record concerning itself about moments of silence, I wonder if they support Christians having their own moment of silence at school? In fact, they are against it. Apparently, NEA leaders missed the day that covered the religious Constitutional Right to "free exercise thereof" when they were in public schools. In 2003, NEA said it, "opposes any federal legislation or mandate that would require school districts to schedule a moment of silence." What about a gay Christian day? If Christians said they were praying for gays where would the NEA stand?

When I join an educator's union I want to know one thing: its stand on abortion. Nothing, after all, signals the union's commitment to education as its stand on abortion. That said, in 2003 the NEA said it, "supports family planning, including the right to reproductive freedom." What a relief. Here I thought I would only get to look towards my church for the morality concerning abortion, now I can look to the knowledgeable minds of the NEA.

I know you are wondering if the NEA has taken a stance on gun control as well. In fact, they have. A 2000 petition drive, originating in Florida after the slaying of a middle school teacher, called on Congress to pass, "licensure, registration, bullet imprinting, child safety locks [and] mandatory background checks including waiting periods." I impatiently await the National Rifle Association's stance on school vouchers and the school uniforms.

Perhaps the most outrageous stance by the NEA is on "sex education." Resolution B-36 from 1998 calls on teachers to be "legally protected from censorship and lawsuits," concerning Sex Ed. Since condoms are a welcomed part to Sex Ed, in 2002 the Pro-Life group, Operation Save America, went to NEA national convention in Dallas where condoms were freely given away from one of the many liberal booths. That could be the reason for Item 91 from this year's proposals: "In the interest of member health and safety at NEA sponsored events; NEA will explore alternatives to using LATEX (natural rubber) products…during NEA sponsored events."

I dare call that progress.

© The Michigan Times 2005