A year earlier than usual, the nation's largest teachers union on Monday endorsed President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012.
The National Education Association, which represents 3.2 million teachers and administrators, approved the recommendation from its political action committee at its annual meeting in Chicago.
Obama "shares our vision for a stronger America," NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said in a statement issued by the group. "He has never wavered from talking about the importance of education or his dedication to a vibrant middle class."
Since taking office in 2009, Obama has championed education reform and used stimulus money to help keep teachers employed. Now he is calling for maintaining or increasing spending on education despite negotiating federal budget cuts.
However, not all of the Obama administration's education policies have pleased the union, particularly its support for charter schools and continued reliance on standardized testing to assess performance.
The NEA statement said the organization usually waits until the summer of an election year to endorse a candidate. This year, it did so earlier than normal "in order to provide early and strong support to help ensure the election of a candidate who is on the side of students and working families."
Of course it stands to reason that a union made up of educators would decide to throw their weight behind the candidate with the brains. Doesn't it?
I also have to add that I agree with the NEA's frustration over the fact that Obama supports charter schools and standardized testing as well, but I also know that he is our best hope for dumping NCLB, and getting our education system back to where it was before George Bush took a big steaming crap on it.
My hope and prayer is that we re-elect President Obama and give him a Democratic Senate and a Democratic House. Enough of these crazy Republicans who wrap themselves in the flag and then proceed to do their best to destroy the country.
ReplyDeleteThey don't HATE unions for reasons liberals assume. Unions of most kinds are literally one of the biggest problems in this country, down to the people they protect. While I hate to see ANYONE lose their job, there are people everyday who keep said jobs even after bad behavior, behavior that puts the company at risk. (I work in NY theatre) I know this well.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers union is a big reason public education is so poor, in an admin way.
Obviously, there are decent public schools, just like there are SOME not so decent private schools. Unions need a kick in the ass. Thought the world would definitely be a better place if everything was privatized.
Slightly O/T, but has Palin ever been asked to address a college commencement ceremony?
ReplyDelete@ 4:40
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So long as privatized schools, hospitals, etc. can elect to NOT TEACH, NOT TREAT, etc., they will display a measure of financial success.
If held to the same standards as public schools, hospitals, etc.--i.e., that they must accept ALL students regardless of ability and disability, ALL patients, regardless of the anticipated cost of treatment---these privatized services will fail.
Privatizing everything is not the answer.
Standardized testing isn't too bad. My daughter was getting low Cs in math class, but her math test scores came back in the 90+. Her teacher was shocked! It proved to the teacher that he had to improve his methods and encourage his student.
ReplyDeleteCharter schools? I think its nice when they fulfill a need. Some students can't do well in a public school setting, either they don't have the home support and do better in a school with flexibility, or they are too bright and a public school bores them. And, some are good options for parents who would like to home-school but don't have the ability to do so.
I don't agree with you on this, Griffen. I will never get why you keep slamming charter schools-- regular public schools are a one size fits all approach to millions of children. Success in public charter schools can be taken to the regular schools. We have to hammer out the logistics of getting kids to school so all kids can go to ones out of their districts, but that is just a matter of time. I take a few of my kids to a charter school and pick up the child of a single dad, and I do some of his family volunteer time after I do my own, too.
ReplyDeleteStandardized tests help us maintain a norm so that we can see if the kids are absorbing what they are supposed to be learning at various stages.
Anon at 4:40 AM: "Unions of most kinds are literally one of the biggest problems in this country, down to the people they protect."
ReplyDeleteActually, the decline of unions in this country is one of the biggest reasons why wages are stagnant and working hours have creeped past the 40 hour limit over the years.
It is no coincidence that the height of union membership in this country occurred during the most prosperous decades for the middle class.
@6:22 There is nothing inherently wrong with public schools, and they have to take all students. Does your charter school handle the handicapped, the emotionally impaired violent kid, the autistic children who need aides, the CP kid in a wheelchair who will never even speak, let alone write a letter? Thought not. Charters are simply private schools operating on public funds.They do not do anything but siphon off the top kids whose parents think they are getting a deal and smaller classes. Are your teachers top notch? They aren't paid well. Do you have languages, music, art, phys ed? When your kids were in public school, did you volunteer? I was a helper all through my kids' schooling. I knew the curriculum, the teachers, requested the good ones even through high school, and was on top of all homework. If parents are involved, any school can be great!
ReplyDelete@4:40 are you kidding? There would be NO middle class if unions didn't exist. You would also be working 12 hours per day, six days per week - which was the norm before unions. You (and likely your kids) would be working in very dangerous conditions, as the NORM. And if you were hurt as a result of those conditions provided by the company - too bad, so sad, as there was no workers comp - starve sucker.
ReplyDeleteThat said, you do have a point. Wherever you received you education must have been on of those really "bad" public or private schools - as there is a horrid gap in your knowledge of history.
Public schools saved our nation in the past. All students were able to get a free education. This educated population went on to create businesses who hired workers. The educated public also used to be educated in the government and how it works and the history of our country. That is until the back to basic conservatives began to demand "back to basics" teaching which they define as math, reading and writing, and demand testing of those subjects. Naturally schools would try to change to do what they are asked. And since they are to be judged on their performance they slowly are eliminating everything else in their curriculum. Some of the things eliminated are the creative and civic areas that made our country so unique and so powerful. The changes that came with LNCB have nearly ruined our schools and our country.
ReplyDeleteIt is foolish to categorize kinds of schools as all good or bad. First of all, charter schools ARE public schools. They don't necessarily siphon off the top students academically, but they do hold students (parents) to a standard of behavior that promotes learning without all of the time often taken for behavior management in traditional neighborhood schools. Having been an educator in Anchorage for years, I think the biggest problem in our local public education is top-heavy administration that doesn't dare tackle behavioral issues and doesn't listen to input from teachers and the public.
ReplyDeleteWell now he's proposing to give away healthcare benefits to "make a deal" on the budget. Billions.
ReplyDeleteI just don't know what to think about him anymore.
My hope is that they take prayer out of school once and for all, charter schools are a complete failure, and "teacher performance" standards mean nothing when some students either don't test well or don't care about learning.
ReplyDeleteWe need to rate parent's performance more than teachers. I've been to every parent teacher meeting, only to see the same handfull of parents and more than half not even bothering to show up.
I'm glad they've backed our President early, maybe others will follow suit.
I live in a large city on the east coast, my kids attended public school all the way through college. For some reason I can't comprehend, they all got good grades, some because of great teachers and some despite bad teachers. They're all doing well in their chosen professions.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the real reason to privatize schools? To run them like businessess for profit. And profit doesn't guarantee a good education, good communication skills, and exposure to students of all abilities and cultures.
I've met Harvard educated honor students who can't make coherent sentences, nor interact meaningfully with other people. They're all whining because they're overqualified and unwilling to take jobs that are beneath them.
Unions were once the backbone of the working class, ensuring fair wages, fair treatment, and a safe work environment. Now we're buying crap made from other countries, supporting poor wages, poor working conditions, and market manipulation while our economy suffers.
What the Republicans have done and continue to do is causing most of our economic problems. My governor sends his kids to private schools, busts unions, slashes wages, and uses helicopters owned by the state to go to his kids baseball games. My governor was on vacation in hawaii when the State got blizzards of epic proportions, then whined because he couldn't call a state of emergency nor predict the weather during his "off time".
We pay high property taxes, and have the luxury of not being allowed to pump our own gas, yet we have to pay a fee to sit on the beach on our vacation, among the trash, cigarette butts, condom wrappers, and medical waste washing ashore because those jobs were slashed.
Anonymous @ 6:42 I appreciate your thoughtful answer. Yes, my charter school takes kids with all disabilities. It has to. Three of my kids had moderate special needs. Two of them are now performing at grade level and the one who was lagging the most only needs two hours of special help per week now! The smaller classes (22 students-- but it might be a couple higher or lower) need to be replicated throughout the MATSU district.
ReplyDeleteWhy did you say "thought not" after you asked the question, without me answering? If you think you are psychic, don't bank your skills at the race track!
4:39 -
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you!
I think the "American citizens" are getting the picture as they/we watch how the Republicans try to block every move President Obama makes and he still is successful! Remember, it's on tape that they are trying to destroy him so that he is not re-elected.
If they are able to shut down the government, I suspect it will really get the attention of "American citizens" and many in Congress will be cleaned out next election cycle.
I truly think President Obama will be re-elected and that the Dems will take over the House and keep the majority in the Senate.
The rich need to be taxed - there is no question about it. In my opinion, the tax laws in the U.S. need to be changed to a flat tax based on income ONLY. The higher the income, the more tax you pay.
"Charters are simply private schools operating on public funds.They do not do anything but siphon off the top kids whose parents think they are getting a deal and smaller classes. Are your teachers top notch? They aren't paid well. Do you have languages, music, art, phys ed? When your kids were in public school, did you volunteer?"
ReplyDeleteTo anonymous @ 6:42-- Sorry, I couldn't answer from my Droid very easily! Why do you say that my teachers are not paid well? They are paid the same as all district teachers.
Yes, we have music, art, and phys ed.
When my kids were in REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOL as opposed to CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOL, I wasn't welcome. The principal had to play to the most important person when I had to deal with a teacher who mas married to a high ranking officer within the school district and after I lost a battle with her, I wasn't welcome-- Mrs. Wifey made things difficult for the teachers who I helped so those teachers sent projects home for me. They didn't want to seem too friendly with me. Likewise, at the charter school, I am into everything. I like their style of teaching and I will probably finish my degree in teaching once my kids are in middle school! I'd left an ed degree in college after I interned because public schools were such a jungle.
My enthusiasm for Charter schools isn't great. There are some great Charter schools that should continue to exist. There are some creative Charter schools that help kids that have learning issues that should continue. That being said, the studies have shown that the majority of the Charter schools are, AT BEST, no better than the "public schools". Many of them are worse. They need to be closed. Some private companies went into Charter schools thinking they could make big bucks. It turns out they couldn't. Our public schools do provide a service to all of our children at a pretty low price. Can they be improved? Always! The best schools have community involvement.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth-- what is your criteria for charter schools that should be kept open? What is it for those who should be closed down. You are way too vague-- the ones in Alaska all seem to be doing well with scores at or exceeding average.
ReplyDeleteOf course, if you don't like standardized testing, maybe those scores mean nothing to you.
What should a charter school's role be within a district? Should the teachers, who have lower class sizes, be paid less?
What do parent volunteers do who don't seem to fit in with the typical public school setting?
The NEA has serious issues with Arne Duncan and Race to the Top.
ReplyDeleteThat said, teachers aren't stupid. We know what kind of education this nation's children would get under the Republicans.
So it's pretty much a lesser of two evils. If I were Obama, I wouldn't be gloating or considering this a feather in my cap.
Teachers in Wisconsin and Indiana may be holding their nose when they vote.