Posted on 06/03/2002 10:58:58 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
Edited on 07/12/2004 3:54:28 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Apart from their utter failure to educate the vast majority of their students in large urban school systems, the biggest outrage perpetrated by the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers is to charge their members exorbitant union dues, spend relatively nothing negotiating labor contracts and then pour tens of millions of surplus dues dollars into election campaigns of Democratic Party members. Once elected, Democrats return the favor by pouring billions of taxpayer dollars down the public school rathole. The victimized urban school children never manage to learn much, but lots of the public loot finds its way into the pockets of the teachers who can't, or don't, teach.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Also, too bad all the dysfunctional parents can't be taken to court for their failure to properly raise their kids. It all starts in the home. The biggest problem facing education today is the social collapse occurring within America. Problems in education are just a reflection of ourselves.
Many in my family are public school teachers, including my wife. None of them understand the statute and would not attempt to opt out of the political action portion of their dues. I've tried to explain the law to them, but they feel it would be more trouble than it would be worth. They also feel that their union would make it very nearly impossible to opt out.
We need a nation campaign to educate teachers about this vital statute! The reason the NEA makes it so difficult to "opt out" of the political action portion of their dues is that they don't want to let this secret statute to become common knowledge among their members.
I agree with your statement about how dysfunctional parents are a major factor in the challenges teachers and students are facing.
People, people, people...we had these kids, we support them, we love them more than life it's self. Why, in the name of God, do we turn them over to the socialists in the public schools every day. What happened to parents having an upper hand in the education of their children. They are your kids, for Christ's sakes! They belong to YOU! Make a difference, fight these kidnappers and win! Get mad at them damn socialists!
Here's a different take on your statement: Maybe the social collapse is happening due to the socialist, humanistic approach that's been infiltrating the public schools since 1965 (before most of today's parents started their own government-run schooling). Read up, please, on what's REALLY going on in the schools and WHY. Try books/articles (many available on the Internet) by any of the following authors:
Charlotte Taylor Iserbyt
John Taylor Gatto
Cathy Duffy
Sheldon Richmond
Their writings are not only informative and enlightening, they ALL back up everything they say with GOVERNMENT documentation. The NEA is just the more visible of organizations seeking to overturn our Republic.
Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!
Molon Labe !!
Those whom you are blaming are products of the system: parents educated in public schools INTENDED to fail. The children know who is in charge and it isn't parents. They have been disempowered by an NEA bureaucracy that has sold out to the UN and asserts its primacy over the family the day the kids arrive in the classroom. The teachers force a dysfunctional pedantry into the kids and they rebel, especially boys with the sense to recognize a injustice for what it is. Any parent who tries to control their children is threatened with losing them to Child Protective Services.
The teachers bought the globalist curriculum and don't make their leadership change. They should sit in their pot proudly and masticate their fecal product with pride. I hope they suffer for it appropriately until the system crashes and the parents take it back.
Homeschool your kids before it's too late.
1. The 11 month delay is unreasonable
2. Annual filings is illegal.
I didn't see anything in the article that suggested it was unreasonable to require Mr. Robey and others to explain how their religious beliefs conflicted with NEA activities. I guess that is because the ONLY reason allowed for diverting funds away from the NEA is for "sincerely held religious beliefs"
If you are not religious, you are out of luck. If you don't like NEA political activities, but it doesn't violate your "sincerely held religious beliefs", you are out of luck. Out of luck, unless you are willing to lie to get qualified.
It is easier to get divorced than to end your association with the NEA.
Also, only "the portion of the union dues unrelated to collective bargaining " can be diverted away from the NEA. What happens if collective bargaining is against your "sincerely held religious beliefs"? I guess you are out of luck again. I'm willing to bet that the NEA inflates the costs of collective bargaining as yet another way to get their hands on more money.
The problem with all of this is the freedom of association clause of our constitution. If you have freedom of association, then you must have freedom of disassociation. A teacher is not free to disassociate from the NEA. I wish the lawsuit would focus on the "REAL" civil rights of the teachers.
NEA membership should be like your Blockbuster Video Membership. You must sign up to join and can quit at any time, no questions asked.
Our government instills the standards that are maintained, not the NEA or the teachers. You would be surprised to see how many teachers are conservatives and hate watching our system of education being federalized. It will lead to more control and less freedom. The government would just luv declaring homeschoolers unfit parents that are denying their children basic standards of education (social & academic) that our all knowing government knows best. You think I'm joking; just think how far we have come. You should take a look at your own state's educational content and performance standards. Math, English, Govt, Geog, Life Skills, Arts, World Langugaes, Tech, Employability, Literacy, CULTURAL STANDARDS,ect. You will be shocked at the one world mindset that our Govt has embraced. Believe me, you hide your head in the sand and cry about the evil teachers; but they are only a small part of the picture. Most teachers hate all the politics, one reason why there is such an extreme shortage.
I see our Republican Prez acting like a lib. I see hordes of money dumped into education by the feds. I see school districts becomming addicted to all the federal money and standards. I don't see any money going towards vouchers, sad. I don't see dramatic change in direction with reference to education. I don't see 90% of America effectively homeschooling their kids.
Just don't blame the teachers for everything, look in the mirror America.
The NEA whole-heartedly advocated Goals 2000. Did teachers depose the NEA leadership? The biggest campaign spender in the State of California is the Teachers' Union. Do teachers sue to get their illegally confiscated campaign money back pursuant to the Supreme Court? The State Legislature belongs to the CTA lock, stock, and barrel. No sale.
Our government instills the standards that are maintained, not the NEA or the teachers.
False premise. The government does what the unions want. The DOE bureaucracy is overwhelmingly represented by teachers.
You would be surprised to see how many teachers are conservatives and hate watching our system of education being federalized. It will lead to more control and less freedom.
No, I wouldn't be surprised at all. The teachers don't dump their leadership and replace them with conservatives, do they? They don't sue for refunds on their dues to prevent them from being spent on campaigns, do they? The point stands. Do you want to know how to fix it?
Linda Chavez is organizing a national effort to pass the Workers Freedom of Choice Act. Congressman Tom Tancredo (R.-Colo.) has introduced the legislation. The Act would restrict union dues to the purpose they were originally intended: representing workers directly with their employers through collective bargaining, servicing the union contract, and representing employees in the grievance process.
Unions will still be able to raise money to use for politics, so long as they do it the same way every other group does -- by asking members to donate money to causes of their own choosing. Now that would be campaign finance reform worthy of the name.
The government would just luv declaring homeschoolers unfit parents that are denying their children basic standards of education (social & academic) that our all knowing government knows best.
Of course they would. They have failed in every attempt in California because homeschooling parents are organized. I am a homeschooling parent. You think I don't know this?
You think I'm joking; just think how far we have come.
No, I don't think you are joking, I think you are way behind the curve.
You should take a look at your own state's educational content and performance standards. Math, English, Govt, Geog, Life Skills, Arts, World Langugaes, Tech, Employability, Literacy, CULTURAL STANDARDS,ect.
I've seen them.
You will be shocked at the one world mindset that our Govt has embraced.
No I wouldn't. The Girl Scouts have embraced them too and are dominated by lesbians. Welcome to reality.
Believe me, you hide your head in the sand and cry about the evil teachers; but they are only a small part of the picture.
No, they're not and I'm not, but I think you have been until only recently. That's why I am tossing cold water on your mistaken assertions. The teachers are just too stupid and too disorganized to do anything about it.
Most teachers hate all the politics, one reason why there is such an extreme shortage.
I don't buy it. Teachers are one of the most active political groups there is. They were the LARGEST single group of delegates at the last Democrat National Convention.
I see our Republican Prez acting like a lib. I see hordes of money dumped into education by the feds. I see school districts becomming addicted to all the federal money and standards. I don't see any money going towards vouchers, sad. I don't see dramatic change in direction with reference to education. I don't see 90% of America effectively homeschooling their kids.
I do. After taxes and the cost of child care, homeschooling is not that big a sacrifice.
Just don't blame the teachers for everything, look in the mirror America.
No sale. Teachers and teachers' colleges are more responsible for the decline of educational standards in America than any other group, with perhaps the exception of psychologists. America reflects its education. Go to the links I provided you, buy the books, and get an education. This problem goes MUCH further back into history than you realize.
It's not a national campaign, but here's a way to start informing teachers and education majors:
NEA ordered to end hassles over religion
"Repent NEA, or you will surely perish."
Since the NEA will never repent, let's help them perish. A wealthy NEA can buy whatever political clout they need to get their agendas passed. Help defund the NEA by informing teachers that they are entitled to a refund of the portion of their dues that the NEA and their state affiliates used for political activities. This refund can amount to several hundred dollars. See:
Reply # 14 in the thread Let's Help Nail the Teachers Unions -- It is National FReep Time
LANDMARK REPORTS NEA FLAUNTING FEDERAL LABOR REPORTING LAW
Here's some interesting information from the The Education Intelligence Agency (EIA) COMMUNIQUÉ (On the Web at http://www.eiaonline.com) -- May 13, 2002 issue:
"1) Are the Fat Years Over for NEA and AFT?
It used to be relatively easy for EIA to obtain accurate, up-to-date membership numbers for NEA and its state affiliates, but recently it has become a lot more difficult. Perhaps it is coincidental that the numbers are becoming harder and harder to find just as the news becomes less and less cheerful.
The tremors are small: lots of talk about needing inroads with Generation X teachers... financial problems here... possible layoffs there. In the past, membership problems were localized in the chronic, hard-to-organize states that had competing organizations. Today, the sounds are more widespread. NEA has grown every year since the mid-1980s, but for the first time the end of the boom may be in sight. The union experienced an increase of some 37,000 members this year -- about half of what it achieved in 2000-2001. More alarming if you're an NEA official is the fact that 20 state affiliates had a decrease in membership last year -- even as the number of potential members nationwide continues to grow at a fairly steady 2 percent annual clip.
EIA cannot yet identify which state affiliates are growing and which are not, though it seems safe to assume that the large states -- California, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, et al. -- continue to enjoy solid growth, while perennial weak sisters are now having serious problems. Activities to reverse the trend are already underway. The NEA Board of Directors granted $175,000 to the Mississippi Association of Educators for additional organizing. The North Carolina Association of Educators is laying the groundwork for an effort in support of collective bargaining in the state. North Carolina law currently bans collective bargaining by teachers.
Accurate AFT numbers are even harder to amass, because more of its members are not K-12 teachers. Nevertheless, the same tremors are coming from AFT. The AFT Executive Council's organizing committee met to discuss ways to get younger members more involved and active in the union. EIA estimates that about 70 percent of teachers are NEA and/or AFT members. Public school teaching may be the most highly unionized sector of the American workforce (the private sector is only 9 percent unionized). Is something about to give?"
We also need to inform teachers and education majors that there are alternative professional education associations that teachers can join for much less than what they are paying to the NEA:
Association of American Educators
25201 Paseo de Alicia, Suite 104
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Phone: 949-595-7979 or 1-800-704-7799
Fax: 949-595-7970
Email: info@aaeteachers.org
Website: www.aaeteachers.org
Please note that the AAE is not a union. It is a professional association. Annual dues are $125 per year for teachers (includes $2 Million liability insurance - one of the reasons teachers join the NEA or AFT is for liability insurance). Student, retired educator, and associate/support memberships are $25 per year.
Call the AAE and ask them to send you some of their brochures. Stuff them with Teacher317's "UNION DUES REFUND NOTICE" and hand them out to teachers and education majors. Take them to PTA/PTO meetings. Leave copies at school supply stores. Join the AAE as a support member.
Here are some links that will be of interest to teachers (and parents):
"Grading the NEA - What Every Teacher Needs to Know About The National Education Association: A Special Report" by Perry L. Glanzer, Ph.D. & Travis R. Pardo (http://www.family.org/gradingthenea/news/a0012243.html)
"Teacher Unions and Parent Involvement" (http://www.educationpolicy.org/EPIseries/parent-bklt.htm)
17 posted on 5/21/02 7:21 AM Pacific by EdReform
Please pass this information on.
There appears to be another "Christian" group who say that this approach is wrong and that Christian kids need to be "salt and light" in the public schools. <I realize this is open to debate but it is interesting as I speak to many church going parents who send their kids to public schools without giving it a second thought.
I agree. Children are suffering from poor educational practices rather than an inherent learning problem. We need to rid our schools of the fads and empty programs that have replaced serious education with "feel-good" fluff and pop psychology. American education is producing kids who feel very positive about their educational skills regardless of how poor those skills are. Dumbing down should not be tolerated.
You can tell yourself over and over homeschooling is going to solve everything; but in reality 80-90% of America is in the public school system and the way old GW is handing money to public education without regard to vouchers; I just don't see the world you seem to envision.
I think changes in the current govt school system would be a more viable direction than vouchers. IF GW hasn't developed a true voucher system by now, why delude yourself any longer with such dreams?
Bees go for the honey; maybe change will occur from within the system? I just don't see the education industry giving homeschoolers the time of day in the current climate of controversy. But rest assured, standards, testing, and assessment will be used to against homeschoolers down the road. The handwritings on the wall and it doesn't concern just academics if you know what I mean. That is why the NEA is such a strong supporter, (along with our politicals) of benchmark testing & cultural standards.
Guess I just have seen a little from both sides on the education issue and understand it is alot more complex than you understand.
You can't grab a kid by the arm in today's schools. Pretty tough sometimes. You might have 2-3 good semesters then have one that makes you consider getting out of education. Teaching is very rewarding, but many teachers just burn out.
31,000 for a 6 year degree is somewhat hard to justify, but teachers don't do it for the money; they teach because they enjoy it.
Have seen both conservative and liberal school districts. The big difference is in conservative districts; you don't innovate. Same process over and over. Never step out of line with new ideas or you are gone. Liberal districts have better programs but also much higher taxes. I guess I wish my district which is the most conservative in my state (why I live here) would incorporate new ideas. Have the best of both in education.
The hauteur of an armed monopolist.
Go do your homework before you assert that I don't know what is happening or is planned. The references I gave you came from INSIDE YOUR SYSTEM. Go read them. You are ignorant. The system can't and won't be fixed without a complete breakdown. It won't be long.
Go do your homework if you think that the NEA doesn't care what homeschoolers are doing. We are the biggest threat they face and they know it. Colleges and universities at the highest level are recognizing the superiority of the homeschooled product. Business is too.
No sale. It is alot simpler than you understand.
Actually though, I'm not as upset as you; I have my 2 months vacation with pay to recover and enjoy.
Anyway, here's my contribution to the thread... an oldie, but a goodie: Clearly Defined Public Education Goals, from the Dec'00/Jan'01 issue of Education Leadership magazine.
My nine year old will be doing calculus this year and wrote a comparative thesis on Dickens that she will post here soon. Her STAR test last year scored her an average 10th grader (at the age of eight). I don't care what standards they throw at her, she'll be fully able to manage and her younger sister isn't far behind (eight years old and can factor quadratics in her head; her paper was on Verne). You have no clue how bad your system really is or how good homeschoolers are.
What you don't understand is that the homeschool average is depressed by a statistically significant fraction of "problem kids," both with genetic, behavioral, and developmental disorders, often induced by public indoctrination.
Before this country had pubelick skewels, literacy was 95%. That was during the great immigration wave of the late 19th Century. When John Dewey brought compulsory public education to America his goal was to prepare the country for global fascism, even then. And you say I don't understand?
If we consider the income to pay for daycare, taxes to support the criminal justice system, marginal welfare, and public schools, there is plenty left for virtually ANYONE to afford to homeschool their kids. That is the price of pubelick skewels, and I haven't even included the costs of single parenting or venerial diseases due to the graphic sexual curriculum. Then there is the fact that a homeschooled society will be more prosperous.
Homeschooling is now enjoying new found buying power. That means lobbyists, sweetie. Software and curriculum companies are finding a population willing to spend to gain competitive advantage and will pay to keep that market. Colleges and universities are now seeking out homeschoolers because they need quality graduate students to assure productive alums. The number of companies who realize that home education may be the last opportunity to assure a population of competitively educated employees is growing. Like it or not we are growing and will continue to do so.
Five more years and at the current rate of growth in the home-EDUCATED population (which is accelerating) and homeschoolers will comprise 5% of the school age population. That's 5% of parents with the time to educate themselves and the commitment for political activism to save this nation and maintain their freedom. If we pass the Workers Freedom of Choice Act, the experience in the State of Washington suggests that there will be a 93% reduction in funding for Teachers' Union PACs. That's enough to win.
Actually though, I'm not as upset as you; I have my 2 months vacation with pay to recover and enjoy.
But apparently not to read. It figures. You clearly value your opinion more than you do the truth. You also want to sell defeatism to this forum and ask that we trust the union to change itself. No sale. Teachers are the problem, as you have so aptly illustrated.
U.S. FEDERAL LEGISLATION
(Primary Source: HSLDA’s National Center for Home Education - NCHE)
Federal Legislation Exempts Homesehoolers - HR. 1 (now Public Law 107-110), the big funding package for elementary and secondary education, expands federal government support and control over public education in America with a record budget amount and a provision taking us a step closer to federal control of a national test. This will inescapably push America toward a federally controlled and manipulated public school curriculum. Teachers will have to teach to the test in order to qualify their schools for the federal funds (that means you, Eska).
Behind the scenes, the Bush administration informed conservatives that Bush would get his bill through with or without their support, as he intended to get liberal Democratic support for the bill. This is exactly what happened. For example, Senator Kennedy, who worked with Bush on this bill, was photographed with a big smile over the victory of HR 1 and received a personal commendation in Bush's state of the union address.
We are grateful that HSLDA's National Center for Home Education persuaded Congress to add an amendment to HR I that prohibits any state from mandating home schoolers to take their state assessments, Chris Klicka, Senior Counsel of HSLDA, reported that ~ state legislatures or state departments of education are specifically prohibited from taking measures to impose mandatory state assessment testing on [private] home schoolers. Any attempt to require a [private] home schooler to be tested by a state assessment as designated in P.L. 107-110 will violate federal law and jeopardize their state's federal funding." Chris KIcka also stated Lhat this amendment has already been used to help defeat such legislation in Virginia. We strongly supported this critical amendment! We commend J. Michael Smith, Tom Washburne, Caleb Kershner, Chris Klicka and all the other wonderful staff of HSLDA/NCHB for the great work they did to get this critical amendment.
The amendment states, "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect a home school (that means NOT MY KIDS, Eska), whether or not a home school is treated as a home school or a private school under state law, nor shall any student schooled at home be required to participate in any assessment referenced in this Act." [Part B, Subpart, Section 9506(b)].
[Editor: In California law, private homeschoolers operate as private schools. Homeschoolers enrolled in public school programs, including charter school or public school independent study, are public school students. It appears that only private homeschoolers are therefore protected by this new HR I amendment which is now law.]
Concluded Bills in the California State Legislature
SB 765 (Chesbro) would have required at-risk screening and intrusive home visitation of many newborns.
STATUS: Died. (We Strongly Opposed.) A very significant Victory!
AB 1095 (Wright) would have required all children to have an eye examination within 90 days of entering first grade.
STATUS: Died. (We Opposed.) A big Victory!
AB 463 (Vargas) would have established a home-based school readiness program for 3-5 year-olds.
STATUS: Died. (We Opposed.) A Victory!
AB 1326 (Mountjoy) would have prohibited public schools from promoting homosexuality.
STATUS: Died. (We Supported.)
AB 1354 (Pescetti) wo~d have added pneumococcus vaccination to the list of vaccinations required for school enrollment.
STATUS: Amended to address a different topic. A Victory!
The following homosexual legislation, all of which we opposed, died:
AB 1434 (Wayne);
AB 1338 (Koretz);
AB 799 (Shelley);
SB 143 (Murray);
AB 1722 (Alquist)
FAMILY PROTECTION EDUCATION **AB 1763
ACTION: Strongly OPPOSE Write your Assembly Member.
**AB 634 (Wesson) lowers the compulsory education age from 6 to 5 years. Requires parents to apply to public school officials for permission to not enroll their child in either a private or public kindergarten.
STATUS: In Senate Appropriations Committee
ACTION: Strongly OPPOSE Write your State Senator.
AB 182 (Vargas) adds hepatitis A vaccination to the list of vaccinations required for unconditional enrollment of a child in a public or private school. Parents continue to have the right to sign a waiver based on personal beliefs.
STATUS: In Senate Health & Human Services Committee
ACTION: We will monitor this bill to ensure the parental waiver of immunizations is not changed.
AB 2664 (Hollingsworth) would have introduced the term "home school" into California tax law. We are grateful that the author has amended this bill to remove references to "home school" while not changing the effect of the bill.
ACTION: No Action.
HOMOSEXUAL RIGHTS LEGISLATION
The following bills promote the homosexual agenda:
AB 1649 (Goldberg); AB 1942 (Chu); SB 2028 (Vasconcellos)
ACTION: OPPOSE Write your State Senator and Assembly Member.
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