NEA delegates slam Obama Administration policy

Delegates to the National Education Association voted on Sunday to take a position of "no confidence" in the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top guidelines and in the use of competitive grants as a basis for the reauthorization of ESEA -the Elementary and Secondary Education Act formerly known as No Child Left Behind.

It was a  notable slam on the Obama administration.  "Arne Duncan was not on the ballot. The policies of the Department of Education are the policies of the Obama administration," one  delegate said. "We have to step up and say that the policies of the Obama administration, we do not agree with those."

NEA President Dennis Van Roekel,  was quoted in the New York Times as saying, “Today our members face the most anti-educator, anti-union, anti-student environment I have ever experienced,”  No one from the Obama Administration was scheduled to speak at the convention.

Meanwhile over 100,000 teachers nation wide face lay offs as Senate Democrats fail to overcome a filibuster to pass a new stimulus package.

In California the NEA is represented by the California Teachers Association.
See http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/education/05teachers.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Teachers%20Union%20+%20Obama&st=cse