Were these poor students from a private school or a public school?
Not that it matters. Many private schools use the same buses that the public schools use because one bus company will contract with all of them.
Again, the NEA is only part of the problem, but it is part of it. You ask, "What power would the NEA have over private school transport?" At first blush, it may sound ridiculous that a public school teachers' union would have any influence at all over private school transport. But then, remember, that the NEA exerts powerful influence over the public schools. Let's face it - the NEA runs the public schools. ;-) And, because the public schools behave like a monopoly, everything throughout the education industry - curriculum, cost, transportation, etc. - is affected.
So, the NEA has power over issues that, at first blush, would seem to have nothing to do with teachers teaching in public schools. Issues like homosexual "marriage" and homeschooling come to mind. Yet, the NEA will lobby for/against legislation on those issues. And, because its members are educating most of the children in this country, the NEA has tremendous influence over voters and legislators.
Here's the link that was on #7: Click here. The NEA is against seat belts on schoolbuses. So there it is. They could very easily vote to oppose the NHTSA and exert some pressure on the transportation industry. But they won't.
Again, should the NEA alone bear the blame? I say, No. No one even knows yet if seat belts would've prevented the tragedy in this story. But, considering this union's power and position, it's part of the reason why schoolbuses aren't equipped with seat belts.
That does not answer the question posed: What power do they have in regard to private school transport?
Not that it matters.
Yes, it does matter.
Many private schools use the same buses that the public schools use because one bus company will contract with all of them.
In some areas that may be true. Where I live it is not true, and the schools around here cross state lines. The public schools own the buses they use, as do the private schools. They are not contracted to a bus company.
At first blush, it may sound ridiculous that a public school teachers' union would have any influence at all over private school transport. But then, remember, that the NEA exerts powerful influence over the public schools. Let's face it - the NEA runs the public schools. ;-) And, because the public schools behave like a monopoly, everything throughout the education industry - curriculum, cost, transportation, etc. - is affected.
There is no public school teacher's union in Virginia. Therefore the NEA does not run the public schools here.
Does the NEA have so much control that ALL public transit does not have seatbelts because they may oppose them on schoolbuses?
Invoking the NEA here remains a red herring.
On that note I must depart this discussion, not for any other reason than I cook at the local Moose Lodge on Wednesday nights and have to be ther in 20 minutes. I will check back when I return.
It seems to me that folks without expertise are tossing in their opinion just because it SOUNDS good to have seat belts on buses, therefore we SHOULD have seat belts on buses.
Conservatives are better than that. We need to ask for definitive proof from those who have the expertise and then demand that our schools follow those recommendations, instead of going on how we FEEL.