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Teachers Union Asks Bush to Fire Education Secretary for 'terrorist' Remark
AP ^ | 2-24-04

Posted on 02/24/2004 4:22:53 PM PST by nuconvert

Teachers Union Asks Bush to Fire Education Secretary for 'terrorist' Remark

Feb.24, 2004

By Ben Feller / The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - The National Education Association asked President Bush on Tuesday to fire Education Secretary Rod Paige for calling the union a "terrorist organization." The White House said Paige's job was safe.

Paige, who made his comment in a private meeting with governors Monday, later apologized for his choice of words but maintained the union uses "obstructionist scare tactics" in its fight over the nation's education law.

Reg Weaver, president of the union of 2.7 million teachers and other school workers, said Tuesday that those members deserve more than "unfair labels and mean-spirited apologies."

"Our members say that once again this national leader has insulted them, this time beyond repair, with words filled with hatred - and merely because they raised legitimate concerns about the president's so-called 'No Child Left Behind' law." Weaver asked Bush "to express his regret to the nation's educators and demand that Secretary Paige step down."

Paige said he is not leaving.

"I have a job to do and that is to make sure that we remain steadfast in our efforts to provide a quality education to all our children - every single one," Paige said. "I remain committed to ensuring that the promise of No Child Left Behind - getting all of our nation's students reading and doing math at grade level - is fulfilled."

Bush spokesman Trent Duffy said: "The president wants the secretary to do his job, which is to improve public education for America's school children."

Championed by Bush, the new education law calls for expanded standardized testing, top teachers in all core classes, school choices for many parents and several other reforms.

The NEA says it does not oppose the law but wants Congress to change some of its provisions. And it wants to recruit states to sue the Bush administration over funding of the law, a move Paige has equated to assembling a "coalition of the whining to hold kids back."

At least two Democratic lawmakers, Betty McCollum of Minnesota and Jim McDermott of Washington, called for Paige to resign or be removed from his job. But otherwise, Paige's comments did not seem to cause immediate fallout for him on Capitol Hill.

Meanwhile, key Democrats who ensured the law won strong support in 2001 met with Paige on Tuesday to share their frustration in the way his agency enforces the measure.

Their concerns - particularly those of Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Rep. George Miller of California - are significant because they threaten to erode the bipartisanship that Bush officials often cite in promoting the law.

The Democrats say the Education Department has misinterpreted or ignored sections of the law ranging from civil rights and parental involvement to the qualifications of tutors.

"These are very technical, but they reach the heart of the issues," said Kennedy. He may offer a bill to change the law if he remains unsatisfied with the department, and Kennedy said Paige's response Tuesday "does not address the real challenges we face."

Paige gave the Democrats a letter assuring serious enforcement of the law and noting that he will not rush out guidance or interpretations for schools without thorough review. He said he looked forward to more cooperation with Republicans and Democrats in making the law work.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: education; nea; neaterrorists; paige; rodpaige
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1 posted on 02/24/2004 4:22:54 PM PST by nuconvert
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To: nuconvert
The truth hurts.
2 posted on 02/24/2004 4:23:55 PM PST by L.N. Smithee (Just because I don't think like you doesn't mean I don't think for myself)
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To: nuconvert
Fire him? For telling the truth????
3 posted on 02/24/2004 4:24:35 PM PST by DLfromthedesert
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To: nuconvert
Read Tammy Bruce's book The Death of Right and Wrong.

She will prove the Secretary's remarks are 100% correct - the Department of Education should be on the FBI's list of domestic terrorists.
4 posted on 02/24/2004 4:24:51 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons have pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: nuconvert
Why am I not surprised? The education secretary was absolutely correct, but it was a stupid thing to say. I sure am glad I have never said anything stupid .
5 posted on 02/24/2004 4:25:06 PM PST by arjay
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To: nuconvert
Screw em!
6 posted on 02/24/2004 4:25:28 PM PST by bert (Have you offended a liberal today?)
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To: L.N. Smithee
He's wrong. A terrorist organization usually hits and runs. The NEA hits and hangs around like herpes.
7 posted on 02/24/2004 4:26:22 PM PST by Hillarys Gate Cult (Proud member of the right wing extremist Neanderthals.)
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To: nuconvert
Paige, who made his comment in a private meeting with governors

Were they bugging the room?

If the truth hurts, deal with it.

To the NEA, students are powerful weapons to be used against the American population. Obey the NEA, or the children get it!

Sorry. I agree with the man. There's no outrage here.

8 posted on 02/24/2004 4:27:21 PM PST by concerned about politics ( Liberals are still stuck at the bottom of Maslow's Hierarchy)
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To: nuconvert
I think Paige's comparison was off though.

I'd say they're closer to an organized crime syndicate than a terrorist group.

9 posted on 02/24/2004 4:27:25 PM PST by mewzilla
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To: nuconvert
i'll agree to that only if they fire rooney for his hate speech.
10 posted on 02/24/2004 4:27:53 PM PST by Stellar Dendrite
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To: nuconvert
NUTS
11 posted on 02/24/2004 4:28:02 PM PST by MJY1288 (There's no leaders on the path of least resistance, ask John Kerry, he's been paving it for 32 yrs.)
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To: nuconvert
Their action proves his point.
12 posted on 02/24/2004 4:29:36 PM PST by Blue Screen of Death (,/i)
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To: arjay
Why am I not surprised? The education secretary was absolutely correct, but it was a stupid thing to say

Look folks, using the term "terrorist" for every anti-american group waters it down to the point of having no particular meaning. Like "Nazi" and "Hero" and so many words, we water them down and there are no replacements -- thus we have no basis for discourse. </rant>

OTOH -- So he used a stupid phrase -- it still doesn't mean his heart wasn't in the right place. But please consider my rant!

13 posted on 02/24/2004 4:29:38 PM PST by freedumb2003 (Everyone is stupid! That is why they do all those stupid things! -- H. Simpson.)
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To: nuconvert
How about if we just fire the teachers union instead?
14 posted on 02/24/2004 4:29:43 PM PST by freeangel (freeangel)
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To: bert

teacher's........ uhmmmmm bite me you terrorists..hee-hee-hee

15 posted on 02/24/2004 4:30:17 PM PST by Dick Vomer (liberals suck....but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is .)
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To: mewzilla
That's almost the exact comment I made to a friend when I heard about it.

"Lissen here yooz. Yure gonna do what we sez here or your life is gonna get very uncomfortable."
16 posted on 02/24/2004 4:30:45 PM PST by Bogey78O (Why are we even having this debate?)
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To: DLfromthedesert
Exactly.
17 posted on 02/24/2004 4:31:03 PM PST by rintense
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To: mewzilla
I'd say they're closer to an organized crime syndicate than a terrorist group.

I agree. Terrorist are in it for the power. Organized crime is in it for the money and the power. Much closer to organized crime.

18 posted on 02/24/2004 4:31:09 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Why do I keep looking around for Rod Stirling?)
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To: nuconvert
"The president wants the secretary to do his job, which is to improve public education for America's school children."

Then close that damned department.

19 posted on 02/24/2004 4:31:48 PM PST by onedoug
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To: nuconvert
"coalition of the whining "

Lol
20 posted on 02/24/2004 4:31:50 PM PST by nuconvert (CAUTION: I'm an acquaintance of someone labelled :"an obstinate supporter of dangerous fantasies")
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