Posted on 03/08/2004 3:44:22 PM PST by yoe
Liberal groups on Monday plan to launch a petition drive, urging President Bush to fire Education Secretary Rod Paige.
Paige recently apologized for a remark in which he described the National Education Association as a "terrorist organization."
But MoveOn.org and another group called Campaign for America's Future are not accepting Paige's apology.
"Parents, teachers and students across the country are outraged that the Bush administration is attacking teachers instead of listening to them to ensure a high-quality public education to every child," the groups said in a joint press release announcing the launch of Monday's petition drive.
Paige made the "terrorist" remark in a private meeting with governors on Feb. 23. He later apologized, saying, "It was an inappropriate choice of words to describe the obstructionist scare tactics the NEA's Washington lobbyists have employed against No Child Left Behind's historic education reforms."
Paige also said, "I have nothing but the highest esteem for teachers and the teaching profession."
But MoveOn.org and Campaign for America's Future are spreading the word that Paige referred to teachers -- not union leaders -- as terrorists: "Education Secretary Rod Paige last week called millions of teachers part of a 'terrorist' group," the press release said.
Robert Borosage, co-director of Campaign for America's Future, and Peter Schurman of MoveOn.org said they will join Houston area parents and teachers on Monday in a "media conference call regarding the Bush Administration's wartime tactics and education policies."
They're all "banding together to launch a major petition drive...to call on President Bush to fire Secretary Paige and start listening to teachers," the announcement said.
In an unrelated development, Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie has accused MoveOn.org of breaking campaign finance rules by paying for recent anti-Bush political ads with "soft money" - unlimited donations from individuals.
That's because libs can say anything they want. Only Republicans are to be held accountable to any moral standards.
Standards the libs don't even believe in or adhere to. Hypocrites.
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.