Saturday, October 16, 2004

Boss Weaver Of The N.E.A: Political Correctism Run Amok

Reg Weaver
The EdWonk is a public school teacher in "an undisclosed location." And like nearly all public school classroom teachers in his state, he is forced to pay dues to the National Education Organization. This union includes classroom teachers, college professors, and support paraprofessionals such as school nurses and the like. And those dues are substantial.

Neither the TeachWonk nor the EdWonk are against unions, really, as a matter of fact, we think that the ideal of a union advocating for its ranks is a noble one. But the union must allow for the full participation of its membership and be completely transparent regarding fiscal matters. Those that would represent themselves as advocates on behalf of dues payers must have the mandate of those that pay the dues. That mandate may only be conferred by honest and fairly administered elections of union leadership.

As has been said
in earlier postings, (Aug.27 and Sep.28) the EdWonk believes that the N.E.A. is a "Legalized Syndicate" that has no accountability to its membership. The Education Wonks believe that the forced payment of dues to this syndicate is a form of legalized extortion. This because of the simple fact that if members are unhappy with union performance, they cannot withhold their money and quit the organization.

The N.E.A. always endorses Democrats, and gives them plenty of cash, no matter what the political preferences of the members that actually paid the money are. We don't know exactly how much, because NEA headquarters refuses to publish any figures. All members do know, however, that their dues are constantly increased even though teacher salaries have actually lost purchasing power in the last few years. (In EdWonk's school system, there has been no "cost of living adjustment" for three years.)

After all, perks, parties, and well-appointed union offices cost money, lots of money.

Reg and his buddies do this without any polling or voting from the membership. To Boss Weaver, the opinions of ordinary members such as EdWonk and TeachWonk do not matter.

He was selected to be President of the syndicate by an appointed Executive Committee that was largely selected by his predecessor, who was also selected by the same committee. Rank and file N.E.A. members such as TeachWonk and EdWonk never get a chance to vote for the leaders that wield so much power in their name.

The latest absurdity to be emitted from the NEA kleptocracy is an insulting little "blurb" in it's monthly propaganda organ, "NEA Today." On page 58 we find a notice that NEA is recruiting people to be interns. This internship leads to a certificate that allows one to be a full time (highly paid) staffer, answerable only to Boss Weaver's "hand-picked committee."

The problem is the Intern Recruitment Notice requires that interns: "Be an ethnic minority or female as designated by the U.S. Census." (EdWonk's translation: White Men need not apply.) But of course white men must continue to pay extortion money to the syndicate.

Laughingly, the syndicate's pamphlet reminds readers (on page 61) that October 18th is "National Multicultural Diversity Day."

Excluding any person from an opportunity based on that person's race is the essential element of discrimination. Considering that Boss Weaver is African American, isn't it ironic that he excludes people from participation because of their race? It certainly is hypocritical from such a radical left-wing organization.

We will file this under both our "Union Nonsense" and "Political Correctism Run Amok Files."