The attempted destruction of America’s great education system was aided by the NEA and AFT. Teachers had many forces working against them. The failure of the organizations (unions/associations) that were created to represent teachers were a major reason self-appointed billionaires like Bill and Melinda Gates, Eli Broad, creeps working for GW Bush, and… were allowed to take over the USDOE and many state DOEs, and force a decade of illogical and child-damaging ideologies on America. Those crimes happened due, in a large part, to the failure of the elected leaders of the AFT and NEA.
Unions were denigrated and misled. They did not fight back. Their leaders sold-out or cowered. That resulted in teachers not having a voice. Teacher representative organizations allowed the shaming of teachers, the abuse of testing for profit – not for kids, and a Press that did not hear the voice of reason from so many that could have kept the abuses from happening.
Then, against the force of the Obama administration, the Billionaire Boys Club, and the pirates raiding the public coffers for profit, not for kids, teachers and parents organized and forced the AFT first, and finally, In Colorado this week, the NEA to fight for kids and fight for teachers and fight those who went crazy with unproven ideologies. Men in positions they were not qualified for, like Arne Duncan.
The Badass Teachers Association rose to fulfill a void left when others failed. Over 40,000 teachers voted No Confidence in Arne Duncan. A vote that showed their contempt for President Obama’s education policies. Then, in Denver last week, the NEA leadership stood to fight for kids and teachers. The NEA voted No Confidence in Arne Duncan. The AFT membership can not be far behind.
How did this happen? Great leaders like Diane Ravitch connected educators and parents across the nation.Teachers who saw children being damaged by the Gatesians and others, organized and are fighting back. Across America, teachers who were not well represented or who prostituted themselves on the alter of education have realized that without due-process and the strength of their numbers to protect them, they will be on the street. They are now awake.
Mr. President, you have made a grave mistake. Correct it, or as the Washington Post article states, you will not have their support, democrats or not. Your legacy will be dominated by this great failure of your administration.
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