NEA and the Culture Skid
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 21, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
Just 16 days ago, 7,000 NEA members gathered in Boston for their four-day annual conference over July 4th. That’s when the NEA president declared, “We can win. We have the power and they know it.” The resolutions they passed explain what they plan to win and how they’ll do it.
Although law-abiding Georgians oppose sanctuary policies, and the General Assembly passed H.B. 37 outlawing sanctuary in colleges and universities, the NEA passed NBI 94 to support sanctuary in cities and schools, and promised to help create more.
Resolution NBI 18 outlines NEA’s position on illegal aliens this way: (a) The NEA opposes deportation; (b) and asks school staff NOT to cooperate with Immigration and ICE agents or other officials seeking immigration status. (c) NEA encourages school districts to adopt refusal-to-cooperate-with-ICE-agent policies. Also, NEA will (d) issue a press statement that school staff should not be encouraged or pressured to cooperate with ICE.
NBI 86 authorizes censorship of exhibits NEA deems “offensive.” First, is the NEA Ex-Gay Educators exhibit indicating that homosexuality is a choice. The other two offenders – Creation Truth Outreach and Creation Science Educators – contradict evolution. NBI 154 directs creationism exhibits to be judged by two standing rules to determine whether they are offensive.NEA passed NBI 17 calling for schools to adopt civil rights policies to specifically include categories for LGBTQ. Meaning, NEA wants LGBTQ lifestyles that indicate behavior to be classed as civil rights alongside race, color, national origin and religion that are not behaviors. Three of eight action strategies target what NEA calls “cut-backs” of student civil rights, an obvious reference to the USDOE’s reversal of the previous administration’s gender-neutral facilities mandate. Meaning, regardless of community values, NEA wants schools to return to gender-neutral restrooms and locker rooms as required by the former administration.
NBI 30 acknowledges that NEA is partnering with several major organizations to track and collect data on five forms of discrimination and bigotry, including homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia. The information will be used to develop anti-bias training, maybe for staff, maybe for students, maybe for both.
NBI 49 encourages NEA affiliates to order the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network booklet “Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel.” Note that it’s a primer – textbook – for administrators and staff.
This brief glimpse into NEA resolutions reveals the organization as a major player in the lawlessness and cultural decline that’s upon us. For Georgia Insight, I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.