From: Subject: NEA resolution faces a challenge -- The Washington Times Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 07:47:03 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://dynamic.washtimes.com/print_story.cfm?StoryID=20030701-110642-5296r X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 =EF=BB=BF NEA resolution faces a challenge -- The Washington = Times
The Washington=20 Times
www.washingtontimes.com

NEA resolution faces a challenge

By George = Archibald
Published July 2, 2003


    NEW ORLEANS =E2=80=94 A group of = pro-life delegates to=20 the National Education Association's annual convention dominated a = hearing=20 yesterday on resolutions with appeals for the country's leading = teachers=20 union to stop advocating abortions for teenage students.=20
    "We'd like it if the NEA would stick = to=20 education issues [with its yearly public policy resolutions] and = not=20 promote abortion with the words 'reproductive freedom' " in a = resolution on family planning, said Judy Bruns, a junior high = school=20 language arts teacher from Coldwater, Ohio.=20
    "Our concern is not to get the NEA to = become=20 pro-life," said David Kaiser, an elementary school guidance = counselor from=20 Fort Recovery, Ohio, who said they have urged NEA delegates to = drop the=20 family-planning resolution for the past 10 years.=20
    "We felt from Day One it is = inappropriate for=20 the NEA to take a position on this. It does imply the right to = choose=20 abortion," Mr. Kaiser said.
    The = resolution on=20 family planning states: "The National Education Association = supports=20 family planning, including the right to reproductive freedom. The=20 association urges the government to give high priority to making = available=20 all methods of family planning to women and men unable to take = advantage=20 of private facilities. The association also urges the = implementation of=20 community-operated, school-based family planning clinics that will = provide=20 intensive counseling by trained personnel."=20
    Delegates from California, Kentucky = and New=20 York also asked for the "reproductive freedom" language to be = dropped.=20 Some said that in the past NEA officials said it meant support = even for=20 "partial-birth abortion."
    During the = hearing=20 attended by more than 400 NEA delegates, Mr. Kaiser asked Shirley = Cherry=20 of Middletown, R.I., chairman of the NEA Resolutions Internal = Editing=20 Committee, what "private facilities" the resolution referred to.=20
    "I am not prepared to answer that = question to=20 you at this time," Mrs. Cherry responded. =
    More=20 than one-fourth of 30 speakers were pro-life delegates who pleaded = with=20 fellow delegates to be consistent with calls for tolerance, = diversity,=20 respect for religious views of all people, and human rights for = the=20 unborn.
    About 9,000 NEA members = elected by=20 their school districts and state NEA affiliates arrived here = Monday and=20 yesterday for the weeklong convention, which ends Sunday. However, = many=20 were delayed Monday by Tropical Storm Bill, whose high wind gusts, = rain=20 and isolated tornadoes caused delays and canceled flights at New = Orleans=20 International Airport.
    During the past = year,=20 the NEA's resolutions committee has compiled more than 300 policy=20 positions that take stands on a wide variety of contentious issues = not=20 related to education, including advocacy of homosexual and = transgendered=20 lifestyles, and criticism of capital punishment.=20
    During a hearing break, Mrs. Cherry = defended=20 the NEA's practice of taking policy stands on economic, social and = foreign=20 policy issues.
    "As educators, = everything is=20 related to our children, and we have to look out for the best = interests of=20 our children, students and educators," she said.=20
    Several NEA resolutions call for = acceptance=20 and nondiscrimination regarding any "sexual orientation/gender=20 identification," and say education programs and activities "must = increase=20 respect, understanding, acceptance, and sensitivity toward = individuals and=20 groups in a diverse society composed of such groups as ... gays, = lesbians,=20 bisexuals, transgendered persons, and people with disabilities."=20
    All schools should provide counseling = "for=20 students who are struggling with their sexual orientation and/or = gender=20 identification," another resolution states.=20
    



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