NEA in the News
NEA officials, members and leaders at the local, state, and national levels and the education issues they care about are making news and are the subjects of news and features in the media around the country every day. Here is a small sample of this media coverage.
Newspaper and Blogs
The Baltimore Sun: O'Malley to receive award from largest teachers union in U.S.
"It has been so easy for a lot of other governors to cut funding. He stood firm in making sure the resources to keep Maryland No. 1 were still there," said John Wilson, executive director of NEA, said in a telephone interview from New Orleans, where the union is meeting.
AP: Unions pressure Democrats on health insurance tax
"We should tax the millionaires, not teachers and bus drivers," said Lily Eskelsen, vice president of the National Education Association.
Wall Street Journal: Obama Wins a Battle as a Teachers' Union Shows Flexibility
“His cause for optimism is this: If teachers' unions start showing flexibility in other cities, the administration's high-stakes push to boost graduation rates and improve test scores at public schools could get a lot easier. That might even spare the administration an unwanted fight with a labor force that gave Mr. Obama a big lift in his election...For now, potential antagonists are holding fire. "I may disagree with their tactics," Mr. Von Roekel said, referring to Mr. Duncan and his team. "But I wouldn't question their intent or motivation."
USA Today: NEA moves to help poor schools with best teachers
“Testifying Tuesday before the House education committee, National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel said the union, which represents about 3.2 million teachers and other workers, will ask local affiliates to draw up memoranda of understanding with local school districts that would "waive any contract language that prohibits staffing high-needs schools with great teachers."
Los Angeles Times:Kennedy helped shape many laws that affect average Americans
“Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Assn., said that Kennedy left "an indelible imprint on every major education law passed since the 1960s," beginning with Head Start in 1964. This spring, Congress passed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which bolstered music and arts education.”
Christian Science Monitor: Seven of 10 parents: I'd like my child to become a teacher
“A majority (66 percent) approve of giving annual tests in Grades 3 through 8, as NCLB requires. But overall support for the law has declined in recent years, with 28 percent now viewing NCLB favorably and 48 percent unfavorably. John Wilson, executive director of the National Education Association union, attributes the low rating to two factors: "The funding that was promised under No Child Left Behind never happened; and [there were] unintended consequences of schools [being] labeled failing" because parents often had a different perception of the schools, he said during the press call”
Washington Post: A $4 Billion Push for Better Schools
“President Obama is leaning hard on the nation's schools, using the promise of more than $4 billion in federal aid -- and the threat of withholding it -- to strong-arm the education establishment to accept more charter schools and performance pay for teachers..."We're absolutely in sync with where they're going," said Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association. Van Roekel said performance pay, charter schools and links between student and teacher data raise difficult issues for his union. On the data issue, Van Roekel said he told Duncan: "This is going to be a tough one for us."
Associated Press: Parents pass the hat to make up for school cuts
"It is commendable that parents are so dedicated to quality education for every student that they raise money to pay for teachers and other necessary resources. Yet it is deplorable that any group has to raise money to fund basic resources we know students need to succeed," said Bill Raabe, director of collective bargaining for the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union.”
San Diego Union Tribune: Students, retired teachers fix up school campus
“One of San Diego's most distressed campuses got a face-lift from a swarm of past and future teachers who painted, planted and assembled in nearly every corner of the school yesterday. The sprucing up of Balboa Elementary School in Shelltown kicked off the National Education Association's convention in San Diego this week. The association's student arm does a school makeover each year in the convention's host city.”
Broadcast
MSNBC: NEA President on MSNBC
NEA President Dennis Van Roekel encourages members of Congress to vote yes on the jobs bill.
HITN: Destination Casa Blanca
NEA Vice President Lily Eskelsen talks about early childhood education and bilingual education.
MSNBC: About Our Children
NEA President Dennis Van Roekel discusses education on the MSNBC special “About Our Children.”
KPBS: S.D. Helps to Kick Off Read Across America
“More than 300 San Diego County students were in Petco Park yesterday -- but not for baseball. The youngsters were there to help kick-off one of the country's largest childhood literacy campaigns called Read Across America. KPBS Education Reporter Ana Tintocalis says the focus is on what's called the summer reading loss.”
Radio
WTUZ FM: NEA Responds to Barack Obama's Nationwide Education Speech
“The National Education Association is responding to the President’s recent back-to-school message. Lily Eskelsen, Vice-President of the National Education Association, says she appreciated the fact that President Obama tried to relate to the many of the Nation’s students.”
WTDY AM: NEA President Dennis Van Roekel
“Dennis Van Roekel, President of the National Education Association, joins me to discuss teachers' supposed "Cadillac health care plans" and the increasing number of uninsured children in our public education system.”
Indiana Public Broadcasting News: NEA Joins In On Health Care Reform Debate
“The National Education Association is now the latest group to weigh in on the national health care reform debate. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland spoke with NEA president Dennis Roekel about why he says health care reform is also an education issue for Hoosier children and educators.”
MEDIA CONTACTS
NEA News Media Relations TeamCall 202-822-7823 or e-mail
Reporters, if you're on deadline, please write, "Help, I'm on deadline!" as the subject of your e-mail message.
