natty dread
02-24-2004, 03:31 PM
Just in case you missed this one...
It used to be that all of us who opposed the Patriot Act were "enabling" the terrorists.
Now it seems that according to the Bush administration, criticism of any of it's policies is tantamount to terrorism. Apparently, teachers are now terrorists too.
Education Chief Calls Union Terrorist Then Recants
February 24, 2004
By ROBERT PEAR
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 - Education Secretary Rod Paige said
Monday that the National Education Association, one of the
nation's largest labor unions, was like "a terrorist
organization" because of the way it was resisting many
provisions of a school improvement law pushed through
Congress by President Bush in 2001.
Mr. Paige made the comment in a private meeting with
governors at the White House, just hours before the
president stepped up the tempo of his re-election campaign
with a speech attacking his Democratic opponents.
The secretary later apologized for a poor choice of words,
but repeated his criticism of the teachers' union as a
group of obstructionists.
His initial remark was described by four governors and
confirmed by the Education Department. "The secretary was
responding to a question," said Susan Aspey, a spokeswoman
for Mr. Paige. "He said he considered the N.E.A. to be a
terrorist organization."
The governors who recounted Mr. Paige's remarks were two
Democrats, Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan and James E.
Doyle of Wisconsin, and two Republicans, Mike Huckabee of
Arkansas and Linda Lingle of Hawaii.
Ms. Granholm said the governors were "all a little bit
stunned" to hear the union described that way.
Mr. Huckabee said Secretary Paige "was trying to point out
that one reason it's been so difficult to execute real
reform is that a lot of people in teachers' unions are
trying to protect the status quo."
And Governor Lingle said, "He's frustrated" by the N.E.A.'s
"lack of support for a law that's clearly aimed at helping
all children." She said Mr. Paige had complained that the
union seemed concerned more about its 2.7 million members
than about children.
In an interview, Reg Weaver, president of the National
Education Association, said: "Secretary Paige's comments
were pathetic and morally repugnant. They are no laughing
matter. When our members learn of his comments, they will
be outraged, and even more determined to make changes in
the law."
The law, the No Child Left Behind Act, calls for greater
use of standardized tests and remedial action to raise
student achievement and improve school performance. Some
governors, while endorsing the goals, say the federal
government has not provided enough money for states to meet
them. The union is lobbying for legislation that would give
states more flexibility and more money.
After his remark had begun circulating, Mr. Paige issued a
statement saying he had gone too far in describing the
union as a terrorist organization. "It was an inappropriate
choice of words to describe the obstructionist scare
tactics that the N.E.A.'s Washington lobbyists have
employed against No Child Left Behind's historic education
reforms," he said.
"As one who grew up on the receiving end of insensitive
remarks," said Mr. Paige, who is black and was born in a
segregated Mississippi, "I should have chosen my words
better."
Mr. Paige suggested that the union's lobbyists were out of
step with its members.
"Our nation's teachers, who have dedicated their lives to
service in the classroom, are the real soldiers of
democracy," he said.
By contrast, he asserted, "the N.E.A.'s high-priced
Washington lobbyists have made no secret that they will
fight against bringing real, rock-solid improvements in the
way we educate all our children, regardless of skin color,
accent or where they live."
Mr. Weaver, the union's president, said there was no
difference between its members and its leadership. "We are
the teachers," he said. "There is no distinction."
Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic national chairman, said,
"Secretary Paige and the Bush administration have resorted
to the most vile and disgusting form of hate speech,
comparing those who teach America's children to
terrorists."
John J. Sweeney, president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., said, "The
Bush administration would like to label all those who
disagree with it as terrorists in order to cover up its
policies, which are harmful to working families, and to
divert attention from its inability to create good jobs."
It used to be that all of us who opposed the Patriot Act were "enabling" the terrorists.
Now it seems that according to the Bush administration, criticism of any of it's policies is tantamount to terrorism. Apparently, teachers are now terrorists too.
Education Chief Calls Union Terrorist Then Recants
February 24, 2004
By ROBERT PEAR
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 - Education Secretary Rod Paige said
Monday that the National Education Association, one of the
nation's largest labor unions, was like "a terrorist
organization" because of the way it was resisting many
provisions of a school improvement law pushed through
Congress by President Bush in 2001.
Mr. Paige made the comment in a private meeting with
governors at the White House, just hours before the
president stepped up the tempo of his re-election campaign
with a speech attacking his Democratic opponents.
The secretary later apologized for a poor choice of words,
but repeated his criticism of the teachers' union as a
group of obstructionists.
His initial remark was described by four governors and
confirmed by the Education Department. "The secretary was
responding to a question," said Susan Aspey, a spokeswoman
for Mr. Paige. "He said he considered the N.E.A. to be a
terrorist organization."
The governors who recounted Mr. Paige's remarks were two
Democrats, Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan and James E.
Doyle of Wisconsin, and two Republicans, Mike Huckabee of
Arkansas and Linda Lingle of Hawaii.
Ms. Granholm said the governors were "all a little bit
stunned" to hear the union described that way.
Mr. Huckabee said Secretary Paige "was trying to point out
that one reason it's been so difficult to execute real
reform is that a lot of people in teachers' unions are
trying to protect the status quo."
And Governor Lingle said, "He's frustrated" by the N.E.A.'s
"lack of support for a law that's clearly aimed at helping
all children." She said Mr. Paige had complained that the
union seemed concerned more about its 2.7 million members
than about children.
In an interview, Reg Weaver, president of the National
Education Association, said: "Secretary Paige's comments
were pathetic and morally repugnant. They are no laughing
matter. When our members learn of his comments, they will
be outraged, and even more determined to make changes in
the law."
The law, the No Child Left Behind Act, calls for greater
use of standardized tests and remedial action to raise
student achievement and improve school performance. Some
governors, while endorsing the goals, say the federal
government has not provided enough money for states to meet
them. The union is lobbying for legislation that would give
states more flexibility and more money.
After his remark had begun circulating, Mr. Paige issued a
statement saying he had gone too far in describing the
union as a terrorist organization. "It was an inappropriate
choice of words to describe the obstructionist scare
tactics that the N.E.A.'s Washington lobbyists have
employed against No Child Left Behind's historic education
reforms," he said.
"As one who grew up on the receiving end of insensitive
remarks," said Mr. Paige, who is black and was born in a
segregated Mississippi, "I should have chosen my words
better."
Mr. Paige suggested that the union's lobbyists were out of
step with its members.
"Our nation's teachers, who have dedicated their lives to
service in the classroom, are the real soldiers of
democracy," he said.
By contrast, he asserted, "the N.E.A.'s high-priced
Washington lobbyists have made no secret that they will
fight against bringing real, rock-solid improvements in the
way we educate all our children, regardless of skin color,
accent or where they live."
Mr. Weaver, the union's president, said there was no
difference between its members and its leadership. "We are
the teachers," he said. "There is no distinction."
Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic national chairman, said,
"Secretary Paige and the Bush administration have resorted
to the most vile and disgusting form of hate speech,
comparing those who teach America's children to
terrorists."
John J. Sweeney, president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., said, "The
Bush administration would like to label all those who
disagree with it as terrorists in order to cover up its
policies, which are harmful to working families, and to
divert attention from its inability to create good jobs."