It’s no secret that the Republican Party has been after the NEA for a long, long time, but it’s rare that a Presidential candidate will actually come out and admit to union busting. However, union busting is not the only reason Republicans are trying to eliminate federal oversight of education.
Republicans always say they want to get the federal government out of education. This comes in many forms, but usually they say something like "education should be returned to local control" or "I’ll eliminate the Department of Education." They always avoid talking about union-busting because union-busting is not always especially popular. Wisconsin’s Governor Walker can attest to that.
Romney, in a rare moment of transparency, told Bret Baier that the reason for returning control of education to the states is for one reason: to union-bust.
But the role I see that ought to remain in the president’s agenda with regards to education is to push back against the federal teachers unions. Those federal teachers unions have too much power, in some cases, they overwhelm the states, they overwhelm the local school districts. We have got to put the kids first and put these teacher’s unions behind.
I’m sick and tired of seeing teacher’s unions demonized, and even more tired of seeing teachers shamed and demonized. There’s been a theme that Democrats and Republicans alike have adopted where teachers are the reason for problems in the schools. Teachers are not the problem. I would argue that teachers have been the backstop to keeping schools from deteriorating in the face of constant budget cuts, student poverty, larger classroom sizes, and not enough parent involvement. I don’t necessarily blame parents for that, by the way. When you’re working two jobs to make the house payments it’s tough to head down to your kids’ school or constantly nag about homework.
The problem in the schools right now is not teachers’ unions, either. The problem in the schools is that for ten years, teachers have been forced to teach to a test and "one size fits all" standards… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Crooks and Liars>
Here’s the video.
The other reason Republicans want get the federal government out of education is to privatize it in such a way that shifts the burden of educating rich kids in private schools and Theocons’ kids in church schools to taxpayers. If Plutocons want to give their kids a premium education, not available to other Americans, that’s their right. And if Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians want to educate their kids in schools that lie about science and teach who Republican Supply-side Jesus (not the real Jesus) wants them to hate, that’s their right too, however distasteful. However they must pay for that themselves. To take resources away from the schools that most Americans depend on is wrong. That’s what Republicans are up to and the NEA is standing in the way.
18 Responses to “Romney Admits Union Busting”
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“To take resources away from the schools that most Americans depend on is wrong. That’s what Republicans are up to and the NEA is standing in the way.”
An effort to Dumb our Kids down….
True!
It is no longer possible to deny the reality of what is going on– Our country is fighting for survival–
I have said so since the stolen election of Crawford Caligula.
I agree with you that private schools should not receive federal monies. Private schools are just that – private and should be paid for by the families who send their kids there. Teacher’s unions need to be reviewed however because there are a lot of bad teachers out there who have tenure and can’t be fired. My son had one and she was a nightmare. Merit based pay should be instituted and teacher reviews strengthened to get the bad apples out.
Lisa, I am not saying that the current tenure system is acceptable. It is not. I think there needs to be peer review to weed out the bad ones.
Lisa, I so agree with you. I remember when I was in elementary school, there were frequently school inspectors coming around, sitting in the back of classrooms and observing. They were watching teaching methods, teacher/student interactions, student engagement, and looking for any signs of trouble and how it was handled. The inspector also looked at student marks and report cards. This obstensibly was the teacher’s report card. Is this done anymore? Definitely the bad apples need to be weeded out. Nobody is entitled to a job if they are not performing well, regardless their tenure. That should happen in any business, union or non-union.
See my reply to Lisa.
“Only the educated are free.” ~ Epictetus (55 AD – 135 AD)
This is why the RepublicanTs like Mittens don’t like education. They want a nation of fools and slaves.
Well said Patty and Epictetus.
Along with the desire to privatize for profit comes the political motivation. An uneducated, uninformed populace works to the Republican’s advantage.
John, I agree!
Can we just ship them all to an uncharted, uninhabited, un-used BFE desert island or atoll in the friggin Artic somewhere so they can live how they want to ans the rest of us sane people can get on with trying to save what’s left of this country and it’s future, which are indeed it’s children. I know, it’s a mere dream I have (only because I can’t truly voice how I really feel about them.)
How about an ASSteroid? 🙄
The US under a Republican/Teabagger administration is FUBAR (f’d up beyond all recognition) and daily life would be a SNAFU (situation normal all F’d up!)
Just look back four years.
Ignorance and tyranny are natural partners.
Thomas, you’re absolutely right.