NEA Resolutions

You've probably already heard about the NEA's 2006-2007 anti-homeschool resolution.

B-75. Home Schooling
The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education
experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.

The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.

The Association further believes that local public school systems should have the authority to determine grade placement and/or credits earned toward graduation for students entering or re-entering the public school setting from a home school setting. (1988, 2006)

Actually, there are quite a few creepy resolutions in the document. You can check out the over 200 resolutions here. It reads like something you would expect from a socialist dictatorship. It is not that I am opposed to all of the recommendations. I have a problem with the "Big Brother" attitude.


Here's a few of my favorites:

A-14. Financial Support of Public Education
Federal, state, and, as appropriate, local governments should provide funds sufficient to make pre-kindergarten available for all three- and four-year-old children

A-18. Financial Crisis The National Education Association believes that free public education is in a financial crisis. The Association seeks to maintain and expand educational programs for students by seeking adequate and equitable public and legislative financial support.

A-22. Tax Reform The National Education Association supports tax reform and believes that it should—

f. Provide for increased local and state funding of public education
g. Not be used to place arbitrary maximum limits on any state or local government’s ability to spend or tax, particularly since such limits have a negative impact on the full funding of schools
h. Eliminate tax laws and rulings that are harmful to education employees and educational needs

Translation: They want to raise your taxes.

A-24. Voucher Plans and Tuition Tax Credits The National Education Association believes that voucher plans, tuition tax credits, or other funding/financial arrangements that use tax monies to subsidize pre-K through 12 private school education can undermine public education; reduce the support needed to fund public education adequately; cause racial, economic, and social segregation of students; and threaten the constitutional separation of church and state that has been a cornerstone of American democracy.

A-33. Federally or State-Mandated Choice/Parental Option Plans The National Education Association believes that federally or state-mandated parental option or choice plans compromise free, equitable, universal, and quality public education for every student. Therefore, the Association opposes such federally or state-mandated choice or parental option plans. The Association also believes that local districts, in partnership with state and federal governments, must provide a quality education for every student by securing sufficient funding to maintain and to enhance excellence in each local public school district. The Association continues to support alternative programs for specific purposes in the public schools. (1989, 2001)

Translation: They don't want parents to make the choices.

B-10. Racial Diversity Within Student Populations The National Education Association believes that a racially diverse student population is essential for all elementary/secondary schools, colleges, and universities to promote racial acceptance, improve academic performance, and foster a robust exchange of ideas. The Association also believes that a racially diverse student population may not be achieved or maintained in all cases simply by ending discriminatory practices and treating all students equally regardless of race. The Association further believes that, to achieve or maintain racial diversity, it may be necessary for elementary/secondary schools, colleges, and universities to take race into account in making decisions as to student admissions, assignments, and/or transfers. (1999)

B-11. Racism, Sexism, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identification Discrimination

g. Eliminate subtle practices that favor the education of one student over another on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, disability, ethnicity, or religion

Translation: It is bad to discriminate against some pet races while it is a good thing to discriminate against less popular races. Oh, that's totally different.

If you have some time, the resolutions are worth a look. What's your favorite resolution?



----------
Technorati tags: homeschooling, homeschool, home school, home education, parenting, children, education, NEA, public school