The Dennis Prager Show

The Dennis Prager Show

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Teachers, Eat Your Own Dog Food

Don't get me wrong. I love teachers. Most work really hard. I think they should get paid a good salary and everyone should appreciate what they do. Teachers unions? Not so much.

Follow me on this one. According to its website, the California Teachers' Association "exists to protect and promote the well-being of its members." And boy, do they. CTA is extremely powerful. In fact, the union is the top financial contributor to California political campaigns* and regularly weighs in on political issues. For example, it  recently announced support for a ballot initiative which would remove certain tax breaks for business in California and another initiative that would make it more difficult for public corporations to make political contributions.  Apparently they don't want any competition from corporations because in 2004, CTA outspent even oil companies in political contributions. These contributions were not evenly divided among parties either. That same year, 98.6% of the National Education Association's contributions went to Democrats.**
 
The union has flexed its big biceps and kicked sand in the face of puny administrators and politicians for years, thus gaining outrageous concessions. Did you know that some local school libraries are shut due to budget cuts, yet union rules command no parent volunteers are allowed. Why? Well,  because that might take a job away from a paid teacher. When was the last time you heard of a teacher getting fired? Doesn't happen does it? My son's high school biology teachers tells her class she was abducted by aliens, but she's got a job for life. Don't even get me started on pensions.

And now the bill for all these concessions and benefits has come due, but since Sacramento has cut school funding, guess what school districts are doing? That's right - the ultimate irony- laying off teachers.  Of course there are the inevitable protests surrounding school board meetings:  parents with signs proclaiming   "Save our Teachers", children are crying, teachers are angry.  But I say to teachers, you are complicit in this drama for it is YOUR union which has led us to this point. And it was done in your name, with the power of your dues, and you have allowed it. 

But wait, I've got an idea. Since your union works for YOU, why not tell your union to renegotiate items like  pensions, firings, volunteers, and all the other concessions won on your behalf? Renegotiate these to sensible and reasonable levels. State education costs can be reduced, and YOU can keep your job.
 
Instead of picketing outside school board meetings, picket your own union. How about that? Because eating your own dog food doesn't taste very good, does it?


*www.uwsa.com                **Nat'l Institute on Money in State Politics

Those Wacky Texas Education Board Members

The Associated Press reports, with this glaring headline "TX ED Board Vote Reflects Far-Right Influences", the outcome of a highly-debated textbook content standards summit. That certainly got my attention. Far-Right Influences. What could that mean? KKK? Nazis? Brotherhood of Aryan Nation? Imagine my shock as I read the article and found out exactly what those crazed Texans approved that so alarmed the AP. Are you sitting down? I warn you, it's pretty scary. They want public school textbooks in Texas to:

1. Cover the Judeo-Christian influences of our nation's Founding Fathers.
2. Describe U.S. as a constitutional republic instead of democratic
3. Applaud the U.S. free enterprise system
4. Discuss the Bill of Rights including the 2nd Amendment

I had to read the article twice because I was sure I missed some far-right conspiracy and far-right influences. But no, other than the refusal to include references to hip-hop or add discussion of Tejans involvement at the Alamo, I found  nothing that could cause the Democratic members to flee the scene in outrage.

So that leaves me wondering, who gets to decide what is far-right? The reporter, who obviously has sympathies with the Democrat minority? The Associated Press itself, using its very powerful distribution network to twist public perception? Because if the above 4 items are now considered far-right extreme views, America, we've got bigger problems than I can cover here in this little blog.

Senator DeMint Shakes Things Up a Bit

Politicio, an internet media site, published a rant against Senator Jim DeMint today. Politico accuses DeMint of a "flamboyant brand of politics" because he has taken his constitutional conservative position directly to the people of America through alternative media, blogs, Fox news interviews, and speeches aimed at Tea Party groups. He is charged with "Senatorial poor form because:

1. He openly backs candidates opposed by his party leaders
2. He isn't waiting "patiently to massage the legislative process" but instead cut in line ahead of older colleagues.

The final Politico charge against him is that his actions have made him unpopular with fellow Senators so he isn't welcome at congressional weekly caucus lunch bunches, but it does get him booked on Sean Hannity.

There is just so much juicy craziness in this article, that I hardly know where to begin! Let's break it down.

Part I:
If holding government accountable to the people it represents, attempting to restrain a federal take-over of state rights, pushing bills that disallow earmarks (The Wall St. Journal estimates DeMint saved Americans $17 billion by voting against wasteful pork projects), and if believing in the Constitution and his oath to uphold it is flamboyant, then I say "Flame on, Jimmy. Flame on."

Part II:
Politico, don't we want representatives who won't blindly follow party line or leaders, but instead use common sense for the greater good of our country? Isn't it a good thing that he isn't waiting patiently for the Whips and the VIPs to notice and reward him with a pat on the head for being a good boy and voting as they command? 

Part III:
Do we really want our Senators to "patiently massage the legislative process"? Aren't Senators-for-life (Kennedy, Lugar, Byrd, Thurmond to name just a few) part of the problem? Does not the solution rest with newly elected upstarts who are not content with business as usual, and are willing to shake things up?

Part IV:
The fact that DeMint isn't invited to the weekly lunch bunch is EXACTLY the point! His goal isn't to advance a life long career in politics, but to take care of the people's business and adhere to our Constitution. If the established network of GOP leaders aren't interested in that agenda, then DeMint has found a way to circumvent them and get his message out to the American people. And I say God Bless him.

Get Back Ye Feds! (Or Hands Off our Textbooks)

The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers have coordinated a new effort to induce schools nationwide to use the same math and English textbooks, as well as to give the same tests. Proponents believe such national standards will increase student achievement nationwide. Opponents worry it will lead to bureaucrats in Washington overriding state and local education controls, and they are correct.

Hurray (once again) for Texas and Alaska. Both states have refused to join this futuristic, dark vision of cookie-cutter education across our nation. “Texas has chosen to preserve its sovereign authority to determine what is appropriate for Texas children to learn in its public schools.” writes the Texas Commissioner of Education. Texas Senator John Cornyn goes as far as stating, “It is clear that the first step toward nationalization of our schools has been put into place.”**

The answer to local problems does not come from a “one size fits all” standard put into place from distant authorities.  Education should remain under state and local control, with input from parents, taxpayers, teachers, administrators and school boards whose members are held accountable in public elections. Control should be not given to the federal government and behind the scenes czars and commissions which answer to no one.

This plan is another step on the road toward a federal government that controls everything in its path, including what our children will learn in school. We need to draw the line here and say, "No."  And that’s the biggest lesson to be learned in education.


**The Orange County Register 3.11.2010