NEA Should Keep its Nose Out

April 21, 2004 | Rick J. Radecki

[DesertGOP]

Would someone please tell me what in the world does providing the best education for our kids have to do with a pro-choice march in Washington, D.C., this Sunday, April 25?

Why does the powerful and influential National Education Association feel it should have any role whatsoever in co-sponsoring such an event—to the point of allowing the NEA headquarters near the White House to act as a hospitality center for the “March for Freedom of Choice,” while the nation’s nearby state affiliates in New Jersey and elsewhere organize buses to bring in demonstrators for the all-day affair?

So, tell me, just when did abortion become an educational issue? It is a political—maybe even spiritual, it could be argued—matter with significant implications to be sure; but to have the most powerful teachers’ union in the country throw its weight and political clout behind such a controversial practice as abortion, let alone opening its doors and collective arms for a march sponsoring the same, would be like the National Association of Letter Carriers rolling out the red carpet for the annual March for Life. That is, teaching children has as much to do with terminating a pregnancy as delivering the mail has to do with saving babies.

Where’s the connection? And, a bit of fairness and balance is in order here, I would suspect.

Thousands of pro-life teachers and school staff required to belong to the NEA across the country are offended by the union’s outright association with the scheduled pro-choice march, and, by every right, they should be.

The march is being planned by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the American Civil Liberties Union, National Organization for Women, NARAL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League) Pro-Choice America and other liberal and feminist groups. The last I checked, these aren’t exactly what you might call “neutral” parties to national discourse of any political nature, and they also don’t necessarily either have anything to do with pubic or private education, or presenting the “A,B,Cs”, in a practical sense, for that matter.

It’s bad enough that the NEA’s chief lobbyist, Randall J. Moody, also serves on the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Federal Political Action Committee, for which he was an original board member and treasurer for three years. Check it out, for you’ll see that the record attests to this blatant tilt of the union toward abortion. Add to this, that Mr. Moody is the co-chairman of Planned Parenthood Republicans for Choice—to which some might say is an oxymoron of an organization in and of itself—and it is clear to unassuming outsiders like me that the National Education Association is anything but indifferent when it comes to the abortion debate.

After listening to a public school teacher on the radio the other day being asked why she just doesn’t exempt herself from handing over any portion of her paycheck to the union, she replied that NEA members receive substantial liability, health and life insurance benefits, which is why most school personnel stay with the union despite objections to its obvious pro-choice stance and positions on many other non-education issues.

I have a suggestion for the National Education Association: If the group’s top management really wants to prove that it is, indeed, for “choice,” why not show a bit of consistency and extend its hospitality and support to teachers who choose to participate in the yearly Jan. 22 “March for Life” in Washington. Currently, however, the NEA neither sponsors nor offers pro-life march corporate backing.

Bottom line is that the National Education Association, with all its dedicated teacher and support personnel, are supposed to be for the children. If that is true, then why does the union insist on promoting an event that says it’s okay to eliminate its very clientele? I’ve done my homework, and this is a lesson I still don’t understand.

The NEA should stick to the business of teaching reading, writing and arithmetic, and keep its nose out of concerns that have nothing to do with what happens in the classroom.

[DesertGOP]

Hey Folks,

I was infuriated when I heard about this and quickly shot off a couple of letters (this very one) to the editors of a couple of newspapers in the Southern Cal region. I don't expect the L.A. Times to pick it up, but maybe some of the others will.

Right up front, I've got to say that I do NOT apologize for anything I'm saying here, for, to me, it's just a downright atrocity what's going on with the NEA and this march planned for Sunday, April 25.

Maybe this should serve as a "call to action" for pro-life teachers throughout th country to demand that the largest teachers' union in the nation bring some balance to the table, or disengage from the abortion debate altogether.

What do YOU think?

Fighting the good fight!

Rick J. Radecki Victorville, CA

[blanknoone]

Maybe the NEA thinks that exterminating our future will help reduce class sizes?

[DesertGOP]

Dear Blanknoone,

Good point, but wouldn't that also cut off their supply of new recruits for the libs?

I just hope and pray that, at the very least, pro-life educators throughout the nation rise up and YELL loud enough to be heard, themselves, in all this. I mean, heaven forbid, we should ever see a union with as much reach and political clout (such as the NEA currently enjoys) ever promote and co-sponsor an "Abstinence-Only Day" or some comparable event, right?!

The mainstream press (and we all know who "they" are) would be all over this like white on rice or "T" on Texas.

Let me sign off for now before I POUND my keyboard into the ground from all my frustration over this mess.

Take care from Victorville,

Mr. R

[JLS]

Exactly. Modern American "liberalism" is something if it can get a pressure group to come out against its own interest like this. More future students would help the membership of the NEA, but goes against the political philosophy of its leadership, I guess.

[Shery]

It is exactly why my husband and I have never joined the union, even though we wish we had some recourse to our administrator now. But I'd still rather not join and have my dues going to Planned Parenthood or into dem coffers! These guys (NEA) are in cahoots with everything we are against!

[blanknoone]

Mr. R, I sympathize with your outrage...they have certainly provided lots of reasons to get upset. But keep up the humor...mocking them is probably the best and most potent response. The communists are literally a parody of themselves....laugh at them. They really can't stand that...but more importantly, it is at least one of the keys to defeating them in the marketplace of ideas. That is why they rail at Limbaugh and FR, but can ignore the WSJ editorial page.

They are losing...they are pulling out all the stops...that is why the NEA is supporting NOW on this...because NOW NEEDS all the help they can get. This is a culture war, we're winning and they're losing and a big part of it is because we're laughing at them.

[MileHi]

Bottom line is that the National Education Association, with all its dedicated teacher and support personnel, are supposed to be for the children.

Wrong premise. The NEA is about more payraises and days off for teachers. They are also about promoting Marxist politics.

[DesertGOP]

Dear Sherry,

Good for you and your husband! Three cheers for both of you taking a stand, no matter the consequences.

A while back, I even once entertained ideas of becoming a teacher--kind of a mid-career thing--but couldn't stomach having the NEA (and, out in the California, the California Teachers Association) hanging over my head....at least, that's how I perceived all of that back then.

I truly believe that most teachers out there are the MOST UNDERPAID and UNAPPRECIATED bunch of hardworking and decent folks out there. Some of my true heroes are my elementary, as well as college, instructors. To this day, I look up to so many of them for putting up with what they did and teaching us kids not only the "A,B,Cs," but all about character and integrity, as well. They were good, good people--not all of them, but certainly most of them.

My wife and I currently homeschool our little five-year-old daughter, Michaela, so we try to remember to emulate the best traits of the teachers of whose classrooms WE sat in. So far, it's working out just great, though California continues (with all the Dems still in the state assembly and senate) to do away with the right to homeschool. On that front, too, we are winning.

Anyway, I salute you and your husband. God's blessings to you both!

Rick J. Radecki
Victorville, CA

[EdReform]

BTTT for later...

[bobo1]

"Bottom line is that the National Education Association, with all its dedicated teacher and support personnel, are supposed to be for the children."

Horse Hockey. The NEA has never been about "children". "We need to double our salaries for the sake of the children". It is a left wing extremist group whose design is to destroy children.


Does the outlay of additonal funds lead to better education? Grab a textbook from 100 years ago and give it to todays'; cildren. They would not have a clue.

Scores do not improve, the schools do not improve, yet it is about the "children" A Lie. It is about tenuring in worthless left-wing hoes. It is about the teachers and about control. They need to do a swan dive off a high cliff into a pile of rocks.

Blessings,
Bobo

[MileHi]

That nailed it, bobo

[DesertGOP]

Dear MileHi,

My point is that, IN THEORY, at least, the NEA should be doing all they can for the children, not that this is there agenda or priority. That's what I was attempting to get across.

I appreciate you pointing that out, though, for maybe I should have made that point more clear.

Take care,

Mr. R

[fedupjohn]

Thanks for the Heads Up. I'm from NJ and will bring this post to the next board meeting. I'm in the local government. Again, thank you very much.

[MileHi]

I understand. I despise teachers unions precisely because kids are the LAST thing they are concerned about.

FReegards

[DesertGOP]

Dear Fedupjohn,

Super! This is exactly why FreeRepublic.com and other valuable and far-reaching sites like this are so VALUABLE.

Just to know that someone like me way out here in California could send up the "red flag" on what's going on with the NEA and Planned Parenthood (and all their accomplishes), is what grass roots activism is all about.

Take it to 'em at the board meeting. I would think that this is probably the best and most effective way to fight this--at the local level, creating such a groundswell of revolt against the NEA that they will have no choice but to confront our concerns (I say "our" concerns, since my tax dollars, too--though we have chosen to homeschool our five-year-old daughter--go to supporting local school districts and all).

This is pathetic what's being planned in D.C. this weekend, and you can bet that they'll get PLENTY of media exposure for their efforts, too. I mean, come on, like I ask in my letter, what the heck is the National Education Association doing there in the first place? Isn't it, yet, blatantly obvious to anyone who's keeping tabs on this "pro-choice" march how ridiculous it is for the NEA to have any involvement with what's planned for Sunday, April 25?

Guess I shouldn't be too surprised, huh, since the last presidential election saw "Algore" do as well as he did, right? But then, as Hil' once said, it's nothing short of the ol' "right-wing conspiracy" hard at work again. And, everything always ends up back to Haliburton anyway, correct?

Like I said, you go get 'em, Fedupjohn, and we'll keep the fires burning for you back here in the land of the "fruitiest and the nutiest," okay!

Take care,

DesertGOP

[fedupjohn]

Dear DesertGOP, Thank you for the letter you sent me pertaining to the NEA and Planned Parenthood.

I am taking all this info to our next Board Meeting and presenting this to the local community residents. I come from a small, blue collar, borough of about 20,000 in 4 sq miles. We are known for high taxes and voting the school budget down every year. There is a constant battle between the Board and the Union. I think the Seniors' will find this very interesting. I will post what I did,and how it turned out, verbatim.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Always, FedUpJohn