Educators are often confronted with challenging situations, mainly due to the influence of national teacher unions, which weaken parental support. This year, the National Education Association and its affiliates held their annual meeting in Philadelphia to discuss their political strategy and ideological agenda. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, has been widely mocked for a “totally unhinged” speech resembling a scene from “The Office.”
Some parents have raised concerns about the impact of the NEA’s political agenda on their children’s education. Many NEA affiliate organizations downplay the national connection, and their dues money fills the national coffers. Parents must understand that most teachers reject the national union agenda.
The meeting was thrown into disarray when the NEA Staff Organization (NEASO) organized a strike, claiming the union had strayed from its core values during bargaining negotiations. NEASO stands as one of the three bargaining units at NEA. The walkout directly impacted employees in the union’s communications, conference, facilities management, and the Center for Professional Excellence, explicitly focusing on teacher quality. This disruption led to the cancellation of the voting on union business items on their agenda. The strike also resulted in the cancellation of President Biden’s scheduled speech at the meeting.
Educators who disagree with the NEA’s agenda should quit funding union activities with their dues if they find their agenda abhorrent. During the 2023 school year, NEA funneled “a whopping $176 million of dues revenue” directly to the pockets of political candidates and ideological causes. Educators should no longer be complicit in support of the NEA. We hope these teachers will join others who have rejected a national union and muster up the courage to take a stand and join Professional Educators of Tennessee.
Together, we can navigate the ever-evolving educational landscape that necessitates a fresh perspective, practical solutions, and innovative ideas. We understand the importance of ensuring teachers’ voices are heard and recognized. By fostering an environment that encourages novel thinking, we aim to prevent the experiences of educators from being overshadowed or disregarded. We are dedicated to our students and committed to providing the best education possible while advocating for educators.
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What You See Is Not What You Get: Science of Reading Reforms As a Guise for Standardization, Centralization, and Privatization | American Journal of Education
Using the case of Tennessee, this article attends to the performative nature of Science of Reading policy discourses—despite their overt focus on literacy instruction, SOR reforms serve as a guide for growing educational standardization, centralization, and privatization. I situate Tennessee legislative deliberations regarding the Literacy Success Act of 2021 within policy activities of nonprofit, for-profit, philanthropic, and advocacy organizations that promoted various SOR initiatives. Through the analysis of video, document, and interview data, I show that SOR reforms served as a catalyst for advancing the interests of private sector actors and monopolizing the market with curriculum materials and consulting services aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS), even in the states that moved away from these standards, such as Tennessee. This performative move of addressing a “literacy crisis” through a change in policy priorities ultimately increased the profits of the companies that supported CCSS and SOR advocacy.
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Vouchers and Elections
Governor Bill Lee’s universal school voucher proposal is a contentious issue in Tennessee’s election year. Voter polls have produced different results, making it difficult to gauge public opinion. Many candidates, especially rural Republicans, are not taking a clear stance on vouchers. Supporters argue for more parental choice, while critics highlight public education and segregation concerns. The inconsistent polling results explain why many rural Republicans are not discussing vouchers during their campaigns. State Rep. Todd Warner adds his thoughts.
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Changes Coming in Singapore
Singapore, alongside several other countries, consistently excels in international assessments of children’s reading, math, and science abilities. The education system has been praised globally for its success. Singaporean students outperform their peers in math, reading, and science. The country is now shifting its focus to discourage comparisons between student performance and emphasize individual learning development. Read Lessons from Singapore’s Education System for Tennessee here.
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Education: A Brighter Future for All
Education is one of the critical pillars of the American dream, providing hope and opportunity. Our organization has worked hard to shape education policy because it invites innovation and encourages big-picture thinkers to overcome the impossible. We believe in Tennessee students and those who work to educate them.
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Dad Gone Wild Blog (NOBODY READS IT, EVERYBODY QUOTES IT)
