NEA: Wal-Mart Before The Children
[July 23rd] - My teacher friends always say the same thing when we discuss the National Education Association. Out here in Idaho, teachers who fully support the NEA are few in numbers. But many apologize for the union's actions and tell me that we must look past the NEA, and see the good the Idaho Education Association does. Now, they're right of course. As Vice President in 2003-04, and President the following year of the IEA Student Program at Idaho State University, I have attended many meetings in Boise with the IEA leadership. They are wonderful people, all of them. But to be part of the IEA, you have to also be part of the NEA, and that therein lies the problem.
At the recent national meeting, the NEA voted on dozens of resolutions that would effect the policy of the association. The first 14 resolutions had nothing to do with education. What was more important than the children? The NEA voted to investigate companies as to their position on Social Security privatization. They voted to sponsor "political training" for candidates who were "friendly" to the NEA and their policies. They also voted to demand a military withdrawal from Iraq. My personal favorite: Join other union organizations in an "Anti Wal-Mart" campaign. What?
Although as a conservative, I don't agree with very much of the liberal dogma that comes out of the NEA, I nonetheless support the right of any person or organization to espouse their views. I'd rather listen to someone I don't agree with than the sounds of silent contempt. But this isn't the "National Liberal Political Association." The NEA's sole responsibility should be to create the best possible educational environment for the young men and women of this country. Anything else doesn't matter. In states like Washington, where belonging to the union is mandatory, the NEA's radical agenda doesn't matter in terms of recruitment. But in "right to work" states like Idaho, being part of the union is optional. The last numbers I saw indicated that just under 60% of Idaho teachers belong to the IEA/NEA. In talking to the teachers who are not members, the answer is almost universal: "I'm not going to be part of an organization whose politics is so different from mine."
Not only is the singularly liberal NEA not helping children with their political agenda, they are driving away potential future members. In regions of the United States where Americans are the most religious are the regions where the union has lost the most of its membership. New professional organizations are growing nationwide to offer politically neutral havens for teachers. I am a member of the IEA/NEA because I wanted to see for myself if my preconceptions were true about them. In my opinion, they were. I am also a member of the NWPE, a professional organization based out of Spokane Washington.
After three years of feeling like "a fish out of water" with the NEA, I am "home" with the NWPE. Again, I have only good things to say about the IEA and its leadership; I cannot and will not be associated in any way with the NEA. I support other teachers who choose to be part of the NEA, and I hope they support my decision not to be a part of the organization.
