Welcome to NEA-dominated schoolhouse

townhall.com ^ | 9/05/01 | Don Feder

[headsonpikes]

Teach your children to disrespect wrongful authority.

[Utah Girl]

I have a brother-in-law who teaches geography to eighth and ninth graders. He belongs to the NEA. I asked him last year if he knew what they stood for. Nope, but they offer a $1 million dollar life insurance policy, that is why he belongs to the NEA. Very discouraging, but I can hardly blame him, because the school district does not offer any life insurance options.

[The Thin Man]

Yikes, just what I needed, a nice uplifting article before going to bed. Got through the third paragraph and couldn't stomach it anymore.

[Caleb1411]

I have a brother-in-law who teaches geography to eighth and ninth graders. He belongs to the NEA. I asked him last year if he knew what they stood for. Nope, but they offer a $1 million dollar life insurance policy, that is why he belongs to the NEA. Very discouraging, but I can hardly blame him, because the school district does not offer any life insurance options.

I think it's the NEA's million-dollar liability insurance policy that's influencing your brother-in-law to stay in that unholy union's clutches. I've got good news. I'm a member of two teacher organizations that offer better (i.e., higher dollar amount and better policy provisions) liability insurance. Pass these web sites on for his perusal:

Association of American Educators

Christian Educators Association International

[Utah Girl]

Thanks. That is exactly the only reason he is staying a member of the NEA. He is not political and is a lot touchy about many things. I'll pass the info onto him.

[Torie]

If the sole problem with the NEA was their indoctrination of students with "left wing" propaganda, I wouldn't lose too much sleep. My concern is that they are interfering in so many ways with students actually learning how to read and reason and do "maths." If students became competent in the above, their own life experiences and exposure to other sources of ideas would largely ameliorate the "problem." Indeed, the departure of folks from the ideology of their parents largely occurs after 18, not before.

Let's focus on the real problem, rather than be diverted by side issues. JMO.

[LarryLied]

I can hardly blame him (for joining the NEA) because the school district does not offer any life insurance options.

Typical. He does not know he can buy life insurance on the open market. Cheap too if one buys term insurance. Much better protection than any government plan offers also, I suspect. How the heck can people such as these ever be expected to teach kids what the real world is about?

With all due respect, even if he discovers some recourse, he should reconsider teaching anyone anything.

[Utah Girl]

He's actually an excellent teacher. He really cares about the kids and is a faculty adviser for the student council. He is a very good man, I think he thinks it is easier to just get the insurance from them. I do admire him for teacing 14 and 15 year old kids, he loves it. He is conservative too, doesn't believe the liberal stuff of the NEA at all. I've backed off from talking to him about it, but my sister is working on him. ;-)

[Caleb1411]

I'm an NEA escapee myself; I bailed out in 1992 after I'd read a few books about the NEA's relentlessly liberal politicking. Blackboard Blackmail was the first, I think. Then I read Samuel Blumenfeld's NEA: Trojan Horse in Education.

When I emigrated, the CEAI was the only option I could find. The AAE came into existence about four or five years ago, I believe.

Since I left that wholly owned subsidiary of the Democrat Party, I've been able to point about six or seven of my like-minded colleagues to the AAE. I've just recently extolled the virtues of the AAE to a new teacher in my department, whom I'm serving as a mentor. What better service could I perform for her than to steer her away from the shoals of the NEA!

[Aarchaeus]

Vouchers are looking better and better all the time.

Yep. And so is home-schooling.

[LarryLied]

Give him the acid test. Ask him what FICA taxes are. Ask him how much and when he has to pay if he works for himself.

I don't know about Utah but in NV, teachers don't pay it. I met the nicest couple at the LV swap meet who were both teachers and selling next to me. Mentioned I was thinking about moving oveseas because I was sick about Clinton being elected. Both of them chimed in to say..."You go over there and you will pay 40% of what you make in taxes!"

They had a combined income of over $70,000 and were telling me how difficult it was to "get by". They also said they were in the 15% tax bracket.

[Torie]

They had a combined income of over $70,000 and were telling me how difficult it was to "get by". They also said they were in the 15% tax bracket.

The bracket percentage is not accurate. So either they are filing fraudulent tax returns understating their income, or their accountant does them, and well, they can't do "maths." Yes, they don't have to pay state income taxes in Nevada. Quite annoying. Federal government employees aren't subject to the FICA regime I think, but I don't think that obtains for state employees. But I could be wrong. I have never been there, or done that.

[LarryLied]

I was a wholesaler to small businesses at this time. I know how teachers operate. They go after deductions. They buy as little inventory as they can (they thought I would give it to them for free). They buy t-shirts, they buy pencils, they buy bumper stickers, they buy anything and everything which can be deducted right then and there. They load up on mortgages (banks love them, no threat of a layoff) and new cars.

My experience with them is, of course, anecdotal. But, of the 30 or 40 teachers I sold to, not one ever created a going business. On the other hand, every person I dealt with who had a career in the military did become successful. Usually the first day out. I thought I was good and out of nowhere, some Sgt with 20 years in would pop up out of nowhere and awe me.

[Torie]

and new cars.

That deduction was repealed, unless the car loan is secured by their house. Unless of course they claim non commuting business miles. That would be a stretch for a teacher, but in your case, it would be duck soup. :)

[LarryLied]

Data on who is and who is not subject to various taxes is not, in my experience, easy to find. But I did find this:

While coverage is compulsory for most types of employment, approximately 6.8 million workers did not have any coverage under Social Security in 1999. The majority of these noncovered workers are in State and local governments or the Federal Government.

Office of Research, Evaluation and
Statistics, Social Security Administration.
http://aspe.hhs.gov/2000gb/sec1.txt

Beginning January 1, 1983, Federal employees were covered under the Medicare (HI) portion of the Social Security tax, and all Federal employees hired after 1983 are covered under the OASDI portion as well.

In 1997, 71 percent of State and local government workers (16.1 million out of 22.6 million) were covered by Social Security. Beginning January 1, 1984, all employees of nonprofit organizations became covered, and as of April 1983 terminations of Social Security coverage by State government entities were no longer allowed.

State and local employees hired after March 31, 1986 are mandatorily covered under the Medicare Program and must pay hospital insurance (HI) payroll taxes.

Beginning July 1, 1991, State and local employees who were not members of a public retirement system were mandatorily covered under Social Security. This requirement was contained in the 1990 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA 1990, Public Law 101-508)."

TABLE 1-8.--ESTIMATED SOCIAL SECURITY COVERAGE OF WORKERS WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT, 1997

Alabama. . .93%
Alaska. . .50%
Arizona . . .91%
Arkansas . . .92%
California . . .44%
Colorado. . .31%
Connecticut. . .69%
Delaware. . .61%
Florida. . .86%
Georgia. . .73%
Hawaii. . .66%
Idaho. . .94%
Illinois. . .53%
Indiana. . .89%
Iowa. . .87%
Kansas. . .86%
Kentucky. . .77%
Louisiana. . .14%
Maine. . .49%
Maryland. . .92%
Massachusetts. . .9%
Michigan. . .86%
Minnesota. . .90%
Mississippi. . .91%
Missouri. . .78%
Montana. . .90%
Nebraska . . .88%
Nevada. . .31%
New Hampshire. . .87%
New Jersey. . .93%
New Mexico. . .84%
New York. . .95%
North Carolina. . .92%
North Dakota. . .87%
Ohio. . .3%
Oklahoma. . .89%
Oregon. . .92%
Pennsylvania. . .96%
Rhode Island. . .81%
South Carolina. . .93%
South Dakota. . .93%
Tennessee. . .92%
Texas. . .56%
Utah. . .91%
Vermont. . .95%
Virginia. . .92%
Washington. . .87%
West Virginia. . .88%
Wisconsin. . .98%
Wyoming . . .84%

Source: Office of Research, Evaluation and
Statistics, Social Security Administration.
http://aspe.hhs.gov/2000gb/sec1.txt

[vox1138]

So, they get paid well, and nobody expects positive results from them. Like overly expensive, unremovable dead wood. Hey, why can't I find a job like that !?!?!?!?

[LarryLied]

That deduction was repealed, unless the car loan is secured by their house.

Of course teachers do that. They are not as stupid as they appear.

[Utah Girl]

Sorry, but what is your problem with teachers? I do realize that the NEA is horrible, but you are blasting all teachers just because they might belong to the NEA? Or do you just hate teachers in general? My father was a teacher for 35 years, and before you start in, he taught for a private system. He loved to teach, but the money wasn't all that great. He took another job besides teaching for 20 years so that he could support his family. A brother-in-law of mine teaches in the same system, but the pay has been upgraded, so my sister is able to stay home with their children.

Most teachers I have been privileged to know are dedicated hard working people who work because they love to impart knowledge. Yes, there are some horrible teachers out there who don't care. Please don't paint them as representative of the profession as a whole.

[LarryLied]

Or do you just hate teachers in general?

There are few things I find more offensive that what you just said.Yeah sure, I hate. That is what my life is all about. Hating people. I am a hater. I have no rational, empirical data for having the position I do. I am a hater. I was born this way.

Teachers need to look at life from the other side. From the side those who are footing the bill see it. And not engage in this type of rhetoric.

Or keep it up. I don't care. An occupation which was once respected will become even more maligned. Perhaps that is what it will take to fix the system.