The National Education Association Teachers’ Union Voted Down ‘Student Learning’, Instead Pushed Abortion Rights and ‘White Fragility’ Racial Training for Children


A motion by the National Education Association (NEA) to “re-dedicate itself to the pursuit of increased student learning in every public school in America” failed when put to a vote of 6.000 delegates. Several of the resolutions that did pass include the fundamental right to abortion under Roe v. Wade and teaching the concept of ‘white fragility’ (which they explain is produced by white supremacy culture), and other leftist causes.

Last week, thousands of teachers gathered in Houston for the National
Education Association’s (NEA) annual convention. During the convention,
any group of 50 delegates could bring to the floor a new business item,
which is a one-year, non-binding resolution directing the union to take
a certain action.

Over 160 new business items were proposed, including New Business Item 2,
a motion pledging the NEA would “re-dedicate itself to the pursuit of
increased student learning in every public school in America.” The
resolution also proposed that the “NEA will make student learning the
priority of the Association” and that every NEA program should be
evaluated by asking, “How does the proposed action promote the
development of students as lifelong reflective learners?”

When put to a vote of 6,000 NEA delegates, the motion failed.

It’s unclear why the NEA would vote against re-dedicating itself to
“increased student learning,” since the vote happened in a closed door
session. But with no obvious poison pills in the item, “supporting
student learning” should be the easiest vote that these teachers take.

One would think that this motion’s defeat would be a public relations
nightmare, because it could fuel the perception — a perception long
denied by unions — that teachers unions look out primarily for teachers
rather than students. But so far, that public relations nightmare hasn’t
happened: Coverage of the convention in both mainstream media outlets
and the education trade press have said almost nothing about the
resolution’s failure.

Yet for anyone looking closely, delegates’ decision to vote down the
“student learning” resolution comes into sharper relief when compared to
resolutions that did pass. When it came to numerous left-leaning ideas —
many with seemingly little relation to teaching kids — delegates
eagerly voiced their approval. Over the course of the convention, the
delegates endorsed “the fundamental right to abortion under Roe v. Wade,” enthused over reparations for slave descendants, and called on
the US government to “accept responsibility for the destabilization” of
Central American countries and that this destabilization is “a root
cause of the recent increase of asylum seekers in the United States.”

And that’s not all. They also voted in favor of helping with the 2020 Census, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and teaching the concept of “White Fragility” (which they explain is produced by “white supremacy culture”) in NEA professional development.

Read full article here…