Education

NEA rejects mandatory k-12 vax, masking; endorses CRT

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At its nationwide annual meeting last week, the National Education Association (NEA) rejected mandatory vaccination of K-12 students and staff but supported a campaign to teach Critical Race Theory.

The decisions are relevant to Vermont public education because the Vermont NEA is the largest educators’ union in Vermont and has significant influence in the Legislature and other government policymaking bodies.

Delegates to the virtual meeting turned down Business Item #33 to “call for mandatory safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations and testing for all students and staff before returning to face-to-face instruction in the fall, subject to medical exceptions in accordance with existing law, and will widely publicize this position via social media. We will further call for and publicize that safety measures such as social distancing, masking, and proper ventilation be mandatory for all.”

The delegates approved measure #39: “The NEA will, with guidance on implementation from the NEA president and chairs of the Ethnic Minority Affairs Caucuses:

A. Share and publicize, through existing channels, information already available on critical race theory (CRT) — what it is and what it is not; have a team of staffers for members who want to learn more and fight back against anti-CRT rhetoric; and share information with other NEA members as well as their community members.

B. Provide an already-created, in-depth, study that critiques empire, white supremacy, anti-Blackness, anti-Indigeneity, racism, patriarchy, cisheteropatriarchy, capitalism, ableism, anthropocentrism, and other forms of power and oppression at the intersections of our society, and that we oppose attempts to ban critical race theory and/or The 1619 Project.

C. Publicly (through existing media) convey its support for the accurate and honest teaching of social studies topics, including truthful and age-appropriate accountings of unpleasant aspects of American history, such as slavery, and the oppression and discrimination of Indigenous, Black, Brown, and other peoples of color, as well as the continued impact this history has on our current society. The Association will further convey that in teaching these topics, it is reasonable and appropriate for curriculum to be informed by academic frameworks for understanding and interpreting the impact of the past on current society, including critical race theory.

D. Join with Black Lives Matter at School and the Zinn Education Project to call for a rally this year on October 14—George Floyd’s birthday—as a national day of action to teach lessons about structural racism and oppression. Followed by one day of action that recognize and honor lives taken such as Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, and others. The National Education Association shall publicize these National Days of Action to all its members, including in NEA Today.

E. Conduct a virtual listening tour that will educate members on the tools and resources needed to defend honesty in education including but not limited to tools like CRT.

F. Commit President Becky Pringle to make public statements across all lines of media that support racial honesty in education including but not limited to critical race theory.

Categories: Education

22 replies »

  1. How much longer will we submit to such organizations? When will we escape our bodange to the failed public school system? Restore the power/responsibility for education to families. Let the money follow the kids.

    • When your voce gets louder – you stand up against this – demand defunding of this plan they appear to be telling us is going to happen – possibly hold back the education portion of your property tax bill – surely there are many other means of escape for our children! Find like minded people and get involved – organize – inform – walk the walk and talk the talk…

    • I would have read it regardless but I was like woah!!!

      Also it says that they reject masks but really they are just going to punt and bring it up later.

  3. The NEA is a perfect example of “over educated idiots” with to much authority, but as long as they keep greasing the palms of Democrat politicians their hair brain, anti-American brand of liberalism will be given credence .

    • “…over educated idiots…” ? No — Over schooled perhaps and its’ becoming ever more apparent that “schooled” is different than educated. Just an obervation from one of those over schooled still on my quest to become educated.

      • Of course you are right in your assertion that education is different than schooling, and just for gits and shigles I Googled Education vs. Schooling, and found this, “Education and Schooling: You Can Have One without the Other.” According to this article one of these is defined as being racist ! Then again what is not racist these days ? To quote Albert Einstein “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” I’ll still stick to my description of this malady .

  7. We spend an inordinate amount of money on a failed, out of date educational system for a small, mainly rural state. The only way we are going to improve is fewer schools and most certainly fewer school districts. Another huge expense is the great number of students that the state requires one on one teaching or behavioral attendants. This is a recent, modern (?), addition to education expense that did not exist previously. Now the only way parents can control the quality and direction subjectively is to be free to use educational tax dollars to select a school on their own that does not promote an educational tract that is detrimental to the basic tenants of our Constitution and our American way. Our land is a country of goodness and hope for all, not a dark pit of doom and gloom.

  9. Masks are really bad for everyone, and especially children. See the recent research re high CO2 levels in children wearing masks.

    As for CRT? Just say no! Take back our schools. They are nothing but Marxist indoctrination training camps now. Home school, join with like minded families and set up a small school or put your kids in a like-minded private school if you can afford it. Just don’t allow their minds to be filled with this garbage.

  10. If the Left wants to defund police – the counter is end teacher pensions once and for all. The NEA is a strong arm union for teachers who are paid by taxpayers – the buildings, the desks, the computers, the transportation, the administrations, the employees all paid by taxpayers. No more money – cut the funds and don’t stop until they understand who is actually the boss. The new argument is no more money for education – we can put it somewhere else and pay someone else to actually teach our children skills to survive and thrive. The NEA mafia has to go and any teacher going along w/communist/Marxist propaganda can go right along with them. Hopefully straight to Hell.

  11. school vouchers are a must now! stop the indoctrination of today’s children!

  12. The NEA and the Politicians they BUY are NOTHING more than Marxist SHILLs. CUT EDUCATION funding for Salaries Until THEY LEARN who is THEIR BOSS.