The National Education Association has endorsed John Kerry. No surprise, the NEA has only ever endorsed Democrat presidential candidates.
Speaking of the NEA, which, by the way, is not a terrorist organization, the Evergreen Freedom Foundation today released its devastating exposé of the union, titled "Barrier to Learning": How the National Education Association prevents students and teachers from achieving academic and professional excellence. From the introduction:
We are late to the war, we defenders of “public” education. It is a war declared by education unions almost four decades ago when their leaders decided they wanted complete control of the system from top to bottom, and they wanted state and federal laws to protect them in this pursuit. The money used by union leaders to wage this war was taken from the paychecks of unwilling teachers who have been treated as little more than cash cows.The NEA might as well be a terrorist organization for all the lives it destroys. Read the whole thing. And if you want to help support the NEA then, by all means, vote for John Kerry. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 06, 2004 10:18 AMUnion leaders got the monopoly they were seeking. As a nation, we got an education system that is now sliding into mediocrity and worse. It suffocates our best teachers and rides roughshod over top-notch principals, all the while generously compensating its own bureaucracy. We got a system that, in the true fashion of monopolies, costs too much and ignores the needs of its customers.
...
What will it take for us to institute true public schools, where parents and students are once again thought of as customers; where the best and brightest can satisfy their calling as a classroom teacher; where American students are prepared once again to guide their country as leaders of the free world?It will require moving the National Education Association and its state affiliates back to the place they belong. That place is not in the driver’s seat.
Our country’s future depends on the American combination of intellectual rigor, creativity and our unique free enterprise system. This requires excellence, not mediocrity. For example, new data released from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology show that a big majority of American students are only partially proficient or below proficient in math and science. Before 2010, it is projected we will trail developed nations, competing for roficiency with emerging thirdworld countries. Our country’s standard of living and our ability to remain a free nation will be severely compromised.
The NEA is not a terrorist organization, but they are nonetheless holding our (or rather, people who have children) children hostage. Everything comes down to money with them, it's as though they're brandishing their contracts and shouting "Give us more money or your kids will grow up stupid!"
The only thing I hate more than their mercenary approach is their reflexive support of every nanny state notion that comes along. Well, that and their frantic fight to maintain a monopoly on education.
Posted by: Steve Skubinna on July 6, 2004 06:27 PMMy mother is part of the WEA and i would like to know how she can get out of paying their dues. She doesn't agree with their political stance and doesn't want to contribute to the Kerry campaign. I think i am right in saying that the WEA is under the NEA so how would she get out of paying thoes dues?
Posted by: Brett on July 7, 2004 11:45 AMBrett,
Refer your mother to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation Paycheck Protection site: http://tpp.effwa.org/opting_out_get.php
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on July 7, 2004 11:58 AMThanks so much i will show it to her as soon as i can.
By the way your Website is great, i read it everyday at work.
Thanks again.
Posted by: Brett on July 7, 2004 12:18 PM