The National Education Association, the country’s major teachers’ union, had more than education on its mind at its annual convention:
The National Education Association has thrown its full support behind homosexual “marriage.”
The NEA recently held its annual convention in San Diego, California, where members voted on two issues of importance to those involved in the culture war. One of those issues was whether the union would support same-gender marriage. According to Jeralee Smith, co-founder of the Conservative Educators Caucus, the resolution passed by roughly a two-thirds majority.
“There are quite a few items where the NEA absolutely puts its political muscle behind taking down any legislation in any state that they consider to be discriminatory to homosexuals,” says Smith. “And some of the language in the resolution also hints that the NEA will try to take down the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] on the federal level.”
Smith told Baptist Press that when a representative of the Conservative Caucus spoke against the resolution and mentioned the words “marriage should be between a man and a woman,” the speaker was booed.
Also up for a vote was a resolution for the NEA to take a “no position” stance on the issue of abortion. That proposal was voted down 61 percent to 39 percent.
How about voting on improving math instruction? Or passing resolutions about homework?
And yet, the voice of the union must be emblematic of where our nation’s public school teachers stand on these political, moral, and cultural issues.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The NEA takes its stand
From a post by Gene Veith:
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5 comments:
I am a teacher in a public school as are many of my friends and may I say that the NEA does NOT represent me or many of my fellow co-workers. The NEA is not representative of its members either, but is instead a political organization. It is highly unfortunate that they are they "voice" of public education because I attest to the fact that they do not represent the ideals many teachers. I know countless teachers who refuse to join the Union (despite much pressure) for many reasons but here are just a few:
1) In almost every state, teachers are automatically signed up to have their dues money diverted to their unions’ political funds. But the facts show that when “paycheck protection” laws require unions to get permission from teachers before taking money for political purposes, teachers almost always say “no.”
2) When teachers were given the chance to opt out of paying for the political causes of education unions, the number of teachers participating in Utah dropped from 68 percent to 6.8 percent, and the number of represented teachers contributing in Washington dropped from 82 percent to 6 percent.
3) As many members voted for Ronald Reagan (44%) as did for Jimmy Carter (44%)
4) More NEA members identified themselves as conservatives (27%) than liberals (21%)
5) A large number -- 29 % -- said they did "not trust" the union
Read more TRUTH about teachers and the NEA at…
http://teachersunionexposed.com/politicalpower.cfm
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/ednotes98.cfm
It is indeed unfortunate that such a politically compromised organization like the NEA has come to, in many people's minds, represent all or most public school teachers.
Good thing I'm studying to teach math. It's (hopefully) the least politically-charged of the subjects.
I don't know D.J. Insisting on 2+2=4 seems a little bigoted and intollerant.
Related article recommending that christian teachers remove themselves from the NEA is at http://onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=610732.
A letter from the American Family Association 7/21/09 listed other professional organizations which offer similar benefits to the NEA:
Association of American Educators www.aaeteachers.org
Christian Educators www.ceai.org
My parents were public school teachers for many years, and even 40+ years ago as a child I remember the heavy lobbying the union did to have the membership vote the NEA position in every election - local, state and national. There are some pretty interesting articles online about the long history of the NEA, it's roots etc.
Karen
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