A dispatch from the Heart of Darkness

The Education Intelligence Agency reports from the NEA annual convention. Wicked stuff (both the NEA itself and EIA's droll reportage)

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A dose of the patrician liberal Kerry may not be enough to stir the blood of the real fire-eaters in the crowd. For them, there is a special screening of Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” immediately after Kerry’s speech, with the proceeds of the $20 tickets going to NEA’s political action committee.

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The delegates were then welcomed to Washington by U.S. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. The mayor of the host city usually performs this chore, but since DC Mayor Anthony Williams supports school vouchers, he was nowhere to be found.

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Delegates passed NBI 12, which requires NEA opposition to the passing of “barrier tests” for grade promotion or high school graduation.

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* Delegates refused to consider NBI 20, which would have required NEA to “take a position of ‘no position’ on issues pertaining to abortion.” This action was inevitable, if illogical, since NEA already claims it takes no position on abortion.

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NEA President Reg Weaver’s keynote address was noticeably less angry, and contained many of the same elements of last year’s address. Most of his remarks concerned NEA’s opposition to the No Child Left Behind Act. Weaver talked about NEA’s attempts to work with the Bush administration. “We have had meetings with members of the President’s staff, and with the Secretary of Education, and despite our best efforts there seems to be a continued lack of acceptance of the professionalism and the expertise that this organization brings to the table,” he said.

Imagine that.

Read the whole thing and then send me your suggestions as to what we might to do liberate our public schools from the NEA.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 07, 2004 07:00 AM