Teachers Union Pimps Congress--Again

Just when you thought Congress couldn't stoop any lower...

Earlier this week Congress pulled the plug on Washington, DC's Opportunity Scholarship Program . For a background on this valuable voucher program see our post from November 24, 2008 ("Let's Democratize Education ") The Opportunity Scholarship Program helps liberate 1,700 poor and minority students from the third world education provided by the District of Columbia. It does so by providing their families with $7,500 stipends that can be used at private and other schools.

But Democrats in Congress continue to prostitute themselves for their pimps, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers . These are the two national teachers unions are the biggest obstructionists to improving public school education in the United States. I believe in the value of trade unionism. In interests of full disclosure, I am a former member of the National Education Association. But I do object to its hypocrisy. Don't hold up school board after school board for favorable work rules and big pay raises and then say you're acting in the interests of the students.

The Wall Street Journal today called the behavior of Congressional Democrats "duplicitous and shameful" in killing the Opportunity Scholarship Program. Here's the text of a letter sent by the NEA to all Democrats in Congress back in March:

"Opposition to vouchers is a top priority for NEA. We expect that Members of Congress who support public education, and whom we have supported, will stand firm against any proposal to extend the (Opportunity Scholarship) program. Actions associated with these issues WILL be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card  for the 111th Congress." (Italics added)


So there you have it. The union pimps telling Democrats get out on the street corner and do what we pay you to do. Could it be any clearer? 


By killing off the Opportunity Scholarship Program the Democrat party, which continues to perpetuate its myth of being the party of the people, has consigned yet another generation of poor and minority kids to a life of poverty and an education system where fewer than half of the students graduate from high school. 


In the interest of fairness The Journal points out that Democrat Senators Robert Byrd and Diane Feinstein, along with Independent Joe Lieberman and Republicans Susan Collins and John Ensign all sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid asking the leadership to re-consider the bill, which was signed by President Obama on December 17. 


Let's also point out that our first yuppie president has no skin in this game, since his two children attend DC's exclusive Sidwell Friends School where tuition runs about $30,000 for each child. 


Finally, I'll also call out the Congressional Black Caucus and their constituents. Black Members of Congress had a choice on this issue. They could have stood by minority children in DC and provided them and their families with hope for a better education and a better tomorrow. Instead, they opened their pockets wide and bagged the cash from the NEA. 


And their constituents: How long will you continue to play identity politics voting for venal politicians because of the color of their skin or the fact that they are Democrats, and watch them time and again sell you down the river? At what point do you begin holding them accountable? How many times will you vote for the siren song of entitlement rather than the harder road of opportunity? 


I give the NEA, Congressional Black caucus, their constituents, the leaders of both chambers and the President a failing grade on this. Shame on them.


Just thought you might like to know.

Let's Democratize Education

America is losing the education game to other industrial countries. Our current education model dates to the agrarian 19th century. Other countries do a far better job of turning out well educated graduates with the background necessary to compete in the 21st century. It's a matter of time until we start sending our kids abroad to be educated, as most less developed countries do today.


I thought of this a few days ago when Michelle and Barack Obama announced that they would send their two children to Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC. Sidwell, with its tuition price tag of $30,000 a year has educated the children of many of DC's rich and powerful. In doing so the Obamas avoid having to consign their kids to a failing DC school system where for $13,000 per student per year taxpayers get one of the worst school systems in the country.


I have no problem with parents like the Obamas selecting a better school for their kids. I just wish that parents who lack their means had the same ability to select a better school than what the public system offers. In DC there is a program called the Washington Opportunity Scholarship Program that can provide vouchers up to $7,500 for students in failing schools to attend better schools. It's a good start.


The problem is that the Democrats in Congress want to kill the voucher program and deny DC parents the same ability to select a better school that the 44th President will have. The reason is that the teachers unions in this country oppose voucher programs. Since the unions are heavy supporters of the Democrat party, it seems unlikely that the Opportunity Scholarship program will survive.


President Obama and the Democrats could make a huge statement in January that we have indeed entered a post-partisan era by saying no the National Education Association and continuing the program. Let's give other kids in DC the same chance for a better future as the Obama kids will have.

Just thought you might like to know.