NJEA endorses John F. Kerry for president

NJEA’s 125-memberpolitical actioncommittee unani-mously voted toendorse Sen. John F.Kerry for president.NJEA PAC convenedat the NJEA Summer LeadershipConference on Aug. 7 to considerpresidential and congressional candi-dates for the November elections. Thecommittee also endorsed nine incum-bent candidates for Congress.

“John Kerry is a proven friend ofchildren and public education,” said NJEA President Edithe A. Fulton.“He has earned the support of ourmembers by supporting the issuesthat matter to them the most.”

Fulton said the Kerry/Edwardsticket has pledged to fully fund thefederal “No Child Left Behind Act,”and to fix its many flaws, includingits insistence on measuring the effec-tiveness of entire schools based onthe results of a single test.

“John Kerry knows there is no ‘onesize fits all’ approach to educating thisnation’s children,” Fulton said. “Hejoins school employees, teachers, andeducational support professionals,parents, and administrators in seekingmultiple measures of student achieve-ment, rather than the simplisticapproach currently in the law.

"He also knows it’s time to put anend to unfunded federal mandatesthat put all the responsibility – andtoo much of the funding – on the backs of state and local school offi-cials,” Fulton added.

New Jersey currently receives an estimated $900 million less thanwhat it is supposed to receive under “No Child Left Behind.” Kerry alsosupports having the federal govern-ment assume a full 40 percent of funding of students with special needs, something the federal government has pledged – but failed – to do for more than 30 years.

“John Kerry also knows public schools need resources and respect, not gimmicks and a ‘gotcha’ mentalityfrom the federal government,” said Fulton. “Along with the vast majority of Americans, he knows it makes far more sense to invest in our publicschools than to divert precious resources to voucher programs tosend students to private and religious schools.

”Fulton also hailed Kerry’s supportfor universal health care for all chil-dren and for community-based after-school programs. “Sen. Kerry knowsthat the health of our students iscentral to their ability to learn, andthat providing them with safe, secure,and structured settings after theclose of the school day will have a major impact on their achievement levels,” Fulton said. “John Kerry’s record of respectingand supporting teachers and school employees is outstanding,” said Fulton. “It’s time that the nation’s 55 million students had a true friend in the White House.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/10/4/111256.shtml

Monday, Oct. 4, 2004 11:11 a.m. EDT Teacher Booted for Displaying President's Picture

A New Jersey middle school teacher who displayed a portrait of the president of the United States in her classroom side-by-side with pictures of other U.S. presidents and the Declaration of Independence was thrown out of her school on Friday for refusing to take the Bush photo down.

"I'm requiring that you take the picture down," Shiba Pillai-Diaz says she was told by Mark Daniels, assistant principal at the Crossroads South Middle School in Monmouth Junction. The teacher refused and now faces dismissal for insubordination.

According to Pillai-Diaz, who recounted the incident to WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg on Sunday, Daniels told her he had consulted with the school's principal, Jim Warfel. The consensus: "We decided that there was a very destructive atmosphere in your classroom and that you're going around the school spreading your political views."

But Pillai-Diaz - an admitted Bush enthusiast who attended the GOP convention - said she leaves her politics at home when she comes to work. "I don't discuss politics [in my classroom]. I wouldn't go near it with a ten-foot pole," she told Malzberg.

The trouble started Thursday during parents night, when one mom complained about the Bush picture and demanded that Pillai-Diaz explain: "What is he doing up there? Don't you think you should have the other side also?"

"Having the picture up wasn't in any way political," she responded. "He's the current president. The picture was sent to my fourth-grade class last year."

The photo was "next to my desk on a bulletin board that had the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution [and] some printing from Ben Franklin's printing press" in a display that had nothing to do with politics, Pillai-Diaz told Malzberg.

After the initial complaints, parents e-mailed school officials claiming that the teacher had suppressed the free speech of her students - with some questioning why she liked George Bush even though "he's killed people."

In a Friday morning meeting with Principal Warfel, Pillai-Diaz says she was told: "You have caused more disruption to this school and to these students with your partisanship and your hatred and your inflammatory ways. Get yourself and get out of the building."

But Warfel may not have had the last word on the dispute. New Jersey Sen. Jon Corzine, who followed Pillai-Diaz on Malzberg's show, said Monmouth Junction school officials had gone overboard.

"If it's just a straight-up picture of George Bush and Laura, then I don't understand the issue at all," the leading Democrat said. "I don't see why [a picture] of the president of the United States can't be displayed."

Sen. Corzine promised to help Pillai-Diaz if she contacts his office.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.