GOP teachers balk at Obama-centric NEA convention

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.stltoday.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/gop-teachers-balk-at-obama-centric-nea-convention/article_ff14714b-c917-572d-bd13-b99a003fbb61.html

Associated Press | Posted: Friday, July 6, 2012 6:02 am

It had all the trappings of a re-election rally: thousands packing a convention center, Barack Obama T-shirts, videos celebrating the health care law, and a wall-size banner with encouraging messages to the incumbent president.

"You are our knight in shining armor _ Sarah C., Norman, Okla.," read one inscription.

But this Obama love fest in Washington was not a campaign event. The nearly 9,000 gathered were teachers in town for the National Education Association's weeklong annual convention.

For the Republican teachers in attendance, the digs at their political views were impossible to overlook.

[sadbear]

1. Not sure how one can be a teacher AND a republican

I know it happens, ALL THE TIME. It just reminds me of the picture of the guy aiming a gun at his foot.

[HubertHeaver]

6. A teacher, and a republican AND a ditto-head

And proud of it.

I happen to know several. I really don't know how they remember to breath.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. There are lots of them.

And no, I don't get it either.

[warrior1]

2. they can go pound sand

[MrSlayer]

3. For being teachers, they aren't too bright.

"For Republican teachers, it's almost like we're stepchildren in NEA, and then in the Republican Party we're also stepchildren, because we're public schoolteachers, and that's not part of their focus," said Keiser, who teaches high school math in Long Beach, Calif.


Idiots.

[elleng]

4. VERY sorry that education has become a political football,

and curious: Why would a teacher's association applaud President Obama? Duncan and all that stuff is his.

(P.S., This is largely my sole area of serious disagreement with him.)

[NNN0LHI]

7. You are curious as to why a teachers union would support President Obama?

Who do you think they should support?

Don

[elleng]

9. Someone who would promote

real pro-education policies. That person is in no way apparent to me.

[rateyes]

23. Im a union teacher on the front lines...Middle school sped...but,

while I will vote for Obama, I do NOT applaud his education policies. in this area he does not get it. Sorry.

[hughee99]

11. Sorry, but that topic is only really valid for discussion from about June '13

until March '14 (aka the period of time when politicians have very little incentive to listen).

Otherwise...
from now to election day: "Do you want Romney to win?"
From election day until about June next year: "Jeez, he's been kinda busy with the reelection, give him a chance".
From June '13 to about March '14 (when fundraising and midterm elections start to take shape): "Yeah, that's pretty fucked up, someone should do something about it".
After March '14 "Losing seats in the midterms will not get you what you want".

This isn't just true of this, we could be talking about drone strikes or any number of other issues.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. My relative who is GOP sent this article to me

I had fun telling him that a lot of teachers are unhappy with the president and they are in BOTH parties.

[elleng]

21. Makes perfect sense,

and glad to hear it, that they have sense, that is.

My choice for Ed. Sec. was Linda Darling Hammond. SO SORRY that didn't happen.

[annabanana]

5. "GOP teachers"...

need to take a few more economic and civics classes!

[Eddie Haskell]

8. The GOP supports competition and free enterprise in all areas but public education.

If the educational institution is private and the teachers are non-union they take a hands off attitude. But these same anti-regulation, free enterprise loving goons look at union teachers and want the entire profession handcuffed with a single method, overwhelmed with regulations and constrained by needless standards. These bastards are out to kill public education and unions and they don't care who they hurt ion the process. I say there's a place for them at the convention ... it's outside on the parking lot in the 105 degree heat.

Let's chip in and get them a porta-potty.

[IADEMO2004]

10. You mean they didn't step to the front of the line for government downsizing the last few years?

Shocking

[stuckinodi]

12. A teacher voting for Rmoney is like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders n/t

[rateyes]

24. You know who loves Obamas education policies?

Chris Christie.

[madrchsod]

13. shitty article written by a ap reporter

that about sums up what i have to say about that

[Arkana]

14. Chickens for Colonel Sanders. Fuck 'em.

While Barack Obama's education policies are not my cup of tea, Mitt Romney will burn public education to the ground and salt the earth beneath.

We're already seeing it with the systematic assaults on unions in Republican-controlled states. It will begin on a national level if these chucklefucks get their way.

[MadHound]

15. Being a teacher, and considering what Obama and Duncan have done to education,

I wouldn't be terribly thrilled about an Obama-centric NEA convention either.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I've heard from plenty of delegates who were there and aren't happy

They tried to introduce several resolutions criticizing Arne Duncan and RTTT but all were quashed by NEA leadership.

[rateyes]

22. Teacher here! And, I agree wholeheartedly with you.

Arne and RTTT are killing public education.

[Tom Ripley]

19. I suspect that teachers who are republicans have some...umm...issues with their student demographics

Why would they be different than most republicans?

[rateyes]

20. Im a teacher. Im a democrat. But, I must say I am no fan of

Arne Duncan or Race to the Top..which takes tax dollars from one state and gives it to others to the detriment of the education system.

Obama could go a long way in sealing the election if he dumped Arne and the Republican governor's and corporations wet dream called Race to the Top.

[goclark]

25. I'm a former Teacher/Principal and I support the Democrats

all the way!

If our candidates are dumped, educators and firemen are the first to say bye bye to their jobs.

Recall that " No Child Left Behind" left lots of children behind and that one was thanks to good old G.W. Bush.

With this Rmoney Bunch of Thugs in charge , it will be all Charter Schools and public schools say CLOSED on the front doors. That is already taking place in Los Angeles and it is not a pretty picture.

I'm with the Democrats ~ and in my opinion, this is not the right time to dump anybody.

We have too much work to do, just fighting like Hell to WIN the election!

[rateyes]

29. im voting for obama,

but Duncan is a big supporter of Charters. He needs to go away.

[tanyev]

26. I'm surprised Republican teachers would even go to an NEA convention.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

27. They're upset that teachers don't love them

and can't, for the life of them, figure out why?

[msongs]

28. we had those back stabbing hypocrites at our school - taking the benefits then

bitching and bad mouthing all the way. when informed the repubs want to take away THEIR rights to unions and collective bargaining they shut up fast...but do NOT change their views

[NNN0LHI]

30. Don't worry these scabs and suck asses do not reflect badly on you or your entire profession

We had scabs and suck asses where I worked too.

They were always the ones who were general fuck ups on the job. Basically useless.

All they ever really had going for them was being good at sucking the supervisors ass. I could never figure out how they went home and looked their spouse and kids in the eye after sucking the supervisors ass all day. Especially with them brown lips.

On the plus side when it came time for layoffs they went out the door the same time as the rest of us. They always looked really shell shocked too. Because they never really learned their job well enough to get another job somewhere else because they were always too busy sucking on the supervisors ass to learn their trade.



Don