Speech as prepared for delivery
Listen to the speech (Real Audio format)

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2003

Speech

Keynote As Prepared For
Reg Weaver, President
National Education Association To The 2003 NEA
Representative Assembly
New Orleans, LA

During the course of this very busy year, I've met and listened to NEA members in many different places--on picket lines . . . at mass rallies . . . at local Association dinners . . . in the workplace. And, throughout my travels, I have found that even though far too many of you are underpaid, under-appreciated, and under attack, you continue to exhibit the courage and the commitment to fight for each and every student in your charge.

An Association organizer once told me, "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the voice at the end of the day that says, 'I'll try again tomorrow.'" 

Our members epitomize that "I'll try again tomorrow" courage-even in the face of struggling state economies . . . huge state budget deficits . . . and desperate attempts to cut state budgets, with education being unable to avoid the chopping block.

In state after state, we are facing ballooning class sizes . . . cutbacks in the length of the school year . . . cutbacks in extracurricular activities . . . and layoffs of teachers and education support professionals.  As educators, we know that these are all measures guaranteed to have a negative impact on a student's ability to learn and to achieve.

There are examples everywhere of excessive-destructive-actions being taken that affect our students, teachers and education support professionals-our entire communities. 

In Oregon, nearly half of the school districts chopped days . . . and in some instances weeks . . . off the school year.  In Eugene, Oregon, 50 parents donated blood plasma in an effort to raise $30,000 so their school wouldn't lose a math teacher!

But Oregon is hardly alone: 

• In Oklahoma, bus service for more than a thousand students has been discontinued.

• In South Carolina, two thousand teachers have received pink slips for the new budget year.

• In Indiana, art, music and foreign language courses have been axed.

• In California summer school and after-school programs have been slashed, and tens of thousands of teachers have been laid off.  

• In Illinois, some schools have classes with close to 40 students, and school districts are laying off thousands of teachers and education support staff. 

• In Florida, pre-kindergarten programs have been eliminated.

• In Cleveland, Ohio, schools are being closed and class sizes are rising.

There are many more examples that demonstrate that children, students and public education have yet to become our nation's priority!

During the 1990s, when tax revenues were rolling in and budget surpluses were piling high, almost every politician and policymaker in America declared his or her undying support for children - and for their education.  You would probably be hard pressed to find a campaign speech that did not include a vow that led you to believe that the forces to improve education were on the march - that the movement would ensure every child receives a quality education, and that educators would be respected and revered.  But now we see those commitments being abandoned - too many of those same politicians and policymakers are in retreat!

It is a sad day when the richest nation in the world-the United States of America-refuses to provide every child with a quality public education.  You will notice, I didn't say can't provide every child with a quality public education-I said "refuses."  And therein lies a significant distinction, and a significant problem.

The richest nation in the world can afford to provide every child with a quality public education.  But there are too many that we have elected who have chosen not to do so.

I believe we must demand that no more time is wasted!  We can no longer stand idly by while a nation that could easily be recognized by its commitment to education-a nation that could easily be known as the United States of Education-insists on providing excuses to the children-students-parents-and educators of America!

We are experiencing cutbacks in education at a time when Washington has enacted huge tax cuts-almost two trillion dollars in tax cuts over the last three years.  We are experiencing cutbacks in education at a time when Washington proclaims education reform.

The newly re-enacted Elementary and Secondary Education Act-ESEA-has been given a very deceptive yet affable title-No Child Left Behind  (NCLB). 

"No Child Left Behind" is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde . It is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is rhetoric not reform.

Now, this causes our critics to say that NEA is focused on keeping the status quo. They will say that NEA isn't for anything. They will say that NEA is against everything!  Well, my friends, they are either misinformed, uninformed, ill-intentioned, or a combination thereof.  NEA supports that which will ensure every child receives a quality public education. NEA supports the goals of "No Child Left Behind." As a matter of fact, we have long appealed for and advocated for that which would lead to:  

• Improving academic achievement

• Closing the achievement gap

• Ensuring every child has a 'highly qualified' teacher in every classroom, and

• Having high expectations and "shared" accountability.

NEA has always been dedicated to leaving no child behind - that is nothing new for us!

The stated goals of NCLB are a page from our very own book!  NEA's concern with this legislation lies with the implementation of, and the lack of adequate and equitable funding, for these laudable goals . . . This law has an implementation plan that is critically flawed, and funding that is woefully inadequate. 

As those who hold the responsibility for educating America's students - we know the needs of public education . . . and of public educators.  We also know that creativity and flexibility are necessary ingredients for an education reform plan to be successful, and these are ingredients that are missing in this plan!    

We have been educating policymakers and politicians for years on what it takes for "Great Public Schools."  Unfortunately, too many have been selective on what they chose to remember and what they chose to forget.  They have chosen to overlook a critical element for success . . . resources.  Reform without resources equals rhetoric.

To echo what countless teachers, ESPs, administrators, parents, community and religious leaders and others from all across the country have told me: NCLB, as currently written, is:

• Setting up public schools to fail.  It is setting up children to fail.  It is setting up teachers and other education professionals to fail.

• It will force many teachers to do nothing more than teach to the tests.

• It will drive inspired and experienced teachers and paraprofessionals from the classroom.

• It will pave the way for privatization and voucher proponents.

• And it will definitely leave millions of children behind. Millions! 

It is becoming quite clear that "No Child Left Behind" is shaping up to be the granddaddy of all under-funded federal mandates-much bigger even than I.D.E.A.

The federal government has dumped the NCLB program into the laps of the governors, state legislators, and local officials, saying, "You pay for our promises!"  And they are saying to you, the ones on the front lines of education, "You perform the miracles - or be labeled." 

Yes, you will be labeled as a person working in a school that is also labeled as "persistently dangerous," or "in need of improvement," or "failing."  Now you tell me, which one of those schools would you like to work in-or send your children to?  Then, do we truly believe that parents will want their children to attend these schools-or, that children will want to go to these schools?  Do you believe that they are going to want to be taught by us when we wear such labels as "unqualified"?

There are those who will say that our criticism of the law is premature ... They will say that the law hasn't had a chance to work. In response to that, I must say that the impact of this law has already begun to negatively affect our members and their ability to teach our children-and the time to respond is now!

• If we are going to fix and fund NCLB; 

• If we are going to achieve adequate and equitable funding for all schools;

• If we are going to ensure compensation that reflects our worth;

• If we are going to realize our dream of a quality education for every child; 

Then, we will have to organize, mobilize, and maximize our members as we have never organized, mobilized, and maximized them before.

In all of my decades as a teacher, an NEA member, activist and leader, I have never witnessed the challenges, and the alphabet soup of threats that we face today: ESEA/NCLB . . .  GPO-WEP . . . the lack of funding for IDEA . . . Higher Ed Re-authorization . . . attacks on Affirmative Action . . . 
Title IX . . . Vouchers . . . Privatization . . . and the list just goes on!

Our members are angry and they are frustrated.  But behind all of that emotion there is energy!  As association leaders and activists, it is our job to help our members to unleash that energy and channel it into positive and purposeful action.

In other words, we've got to get our members riled up! 

NEA - What does it take to get you riled up?

• Does it rile you up that the public schools which serve poor and minority and immigrant children-the schools with the greatest needs-are the very schools that are chronically under funded?

• Does it rile you up that our nation would rather incarcerate than educate?  That in many states, prison guards make more money than you? 

• Does it rile you up that all of your good work in the classroom will be judged by the result of a single 'high stakes' test score?

• Does it rile you up that many of you-our seasoned, honored, successful, educators and paraprofessionals-may be considered "unqualified?"

• Does it rile you up that Washington's latest round of tax cuts will leave no millionaire behind-but will actually leave millions of children behind?

What does it take to get you riled up?

• Public school systems across the nation are losing literally billions of dollars every year due to the property tax breaks given to corporations by local and state governments!

• Community college budgets are being slashed while state universities are becoming too expensive for many low-income students to attend!

Does it rile you up that in response to NEA's preparation of a lawsuit challenging unfunded mandates imposed by NCLB, Secretary of Education Rod Paige in today's news claims that NEA wants to assemble a "coalition of the whining" because of our principled criticism of this new law?  Let me set the record straight: We have assembled a coalition of the willing-a coalition of educators committed to ensuring that the promise of the law is kept.

Let us harness the energy that comes from realizing and experiencing inadequate and inequitable circumstances and situations that affect our students-that affect our classrooms-that affect our professionalism! Let us harness that energy because we can't afford to let it take us off course.  We need to get riled up - and we need to stay riled up!   

We need to stand together as one!  This is a time that cries out to each of us to remember who we are . . . and what we stand for!  We are the NEA!  We are educators!  We are committed to educating children-all children-and to ensuring that every child receives a free, quality, public education!

We have come too far, worked too hard, and sacrificed too much to allow all that we have achieved to be swept away by people who would not last a day in our classrooms . . . nor would they know what to do on a school bus, or in a cafeteria with our students. 

So, I say to you that the National Education Association stands committed to working toward:

• Reversing our nation's retreat from its commitment to provide every child with a quality public education;

• Fixing and funding the No Child Left Behind Act;

• Defeating the privatizers and voucherites.

And, I continue to believe what I said to you a year ago-we will ensure a quality public education for every child by: 

• Becoming a more united, focused, and energized Association;

• Reaching out to parents, friends, neighbors, communities, and community-based organizations, and . . .

• Electing more pro-public education candidates, regardless of their political party affiliation.

And, I am happy to report that the re-united, re-focused, and re-energized NEA is already in motion.  We are Team NEA-working with a plan to make every public school a great public school!

We are tightening our message around-Great Public Schools for Every Child-and are prepared to maximize our media exposure.

We have launched a full-court, legislative press to fix and fund the new federal law.  We call our effort the "Great Public Schools for Every Child Action Plan."

We have proposed specific amendments to the law.  We've drafted a new bill, The Great Public Schools for Every Child Act, and we've communicated directly with every member of Congress the specific action steps necessary to:

• Fund - fully -- No Child Left Behind programs;

• Grant flexibility to states and schools to put in place workable accountability systems;

• Grant flexibility to states and school districts to target help to schools with the most severe problems;

• Close loopholes in the definition of a "highly qualified" teacher;

• Ensure that paraprofessionals are provided with the resources to pay for the required professional development; and

• Require all entities receiving NCLB funds to fully comply with federal civil rights laws.

Let's not allow any more pages to be taken from our book without having a say in how they are used.  Let's educate the policymakers and politicians.  Let's ensure that they read and learn from the entire book!  Let us make certain that they understand that the goals of "No Child Left Behind" represent just a few pages, but that our book is filled with knowledge on what it takes to make a Great Public School for Every Child!  It is not acceptable to conveniently leave out the pages that address:

• Small class sizes;

• To leave out high-quality teachers and education support professionals with access to ongoing professional development;

• To leave out mentoring programs for new teachers;

• To leave out safe, orderly, modern and well-equipped facilities;

• To leave out quality after-school programs; and

• To leave out compensation and benefits that reflect your true professionalism and worth.

We know what it takes-and we know how to implement it-and we will let them know by:

• Communicating with our Members of Congress and informing them on exactly how to fix the No Child Left Behind Act.  Or, better yet, prepare them to support the "Great Public Schools for Every Child Act";

• Voting for strong pro-public education candidates and urging others to do the same;

• Re-energizing our colleagues and local Associations;

• Making membership everyone's responsibility; and

• Reaching out to our communities to win support for our public schools.

We will make sure that our elected officials know that we are monitoring their "adequate yearly progress." And when they don't measure up, we will hold them accountable on Election Day.

Team NEA-we would love to stay out of politics and in the classroom, but as long as Washington favors millionaires over children, we have to fight!

To govern is to choose-and to choose to give more money to the rich instead of investing it in our public schools-in our nation's future-is a cause worth fighting for!

So, yes, the opposition will push back, but we'll keep on pushing forward toward our goal of providing every child in America with a quality public education!  We will push forward as a focused, member-driven, community-involved, and politically bipartisan organization.  We will push forward as one-in support of one another!

I would like to share a story with you--it's a story about a mousetrap.  Some of you may have already heard it before, but you've told me how much you enjoyed it, and that you would like to hear it again-so I will share it with you. 

Once upon a time, a mouse looked through a crack in his farmhouse wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package.

"What food could it contain?" the mouse wondered.

He was shocked to discover that it was a mousetrap!

Retreating to the barnyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house, a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said: "Excuse me, Mr. Mouse, I can tell that this is of grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him: "There is a mousetrap in the house, a mousetrap in the house!"

"I am so sorry, Mr. Mouse," the pig sympathized, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you will be in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow.  "There is a mousetrap in the house,
a mousetrap in the house!" 

The cow said: "Like wow, Mr. Mouse. A mousetrap. Like I am in danger ... Not!"

So the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.  And that very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.  The snake bit the farmer's wife.  The farmer rushed her to the hospital.  She returned home with a fever.

Now everyone knows that you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer went to the barnyard for the soup's main ingredient.

His wife's sickness continued. Friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer had to butcher the pig.

Well, unfortunately, the farmer's wife did not get better, and a few days later she passed away.  So many people came to the funeral that the farmer had to have the cow slaughtered to provide meat for everyone to eat.

NEA, the moral of this story is: the next time that you hear about someone facing a problem, and you think that it does not affect you, remember, when there is a mousetrap in the house, the whole barnyard is at risk!

When another state establishes a tuition voucher program . . . we are all at risk!

When ESP members are faced with the threat of their jobs being contracted out to nonunion companies that pay the minimum wage and hire and fire employees at will . . . we are all at risk!

When teachers and school nurses and social workers are laid off . . . we are all at risk!

When higher education faculty members are forced to teach more for less pay . . . we are all at risk!

When retired educators and their spouses are denied Social Security benefits . . . we are all at risk!

We are all in this together, my friends, and if one of us is under attack . . . we all are under attack!

Your elected Executive Committee and officers are working as a team-we are all reading from the same page, walking through the same door, and carrying the same message. 

NEA is demonstrating a commitment to working in a more collegial and collaborative way with our state affiliates.

We are utilizing more effective ways of communicating who we are, and what we stand for.  As I said a year ago, public opinion is largely driven by image and we are working to eliminate misconceptions about the Association, its mission, its policies, and its direction.

And yes, we are more energized.

We have forged new and revitalized existing partnerships with community-based organizations, national minority organizations, key advocacy organizations, as well as with other organizations and businesses.

We have kicked off new and creative efforts to expand the size, depth and breadth of our Association.  

Teamwork, solidarity, and cooperation built our great association-and teamwork, solidarity, and cooperation will see us through the crises of today! 

As we move forward, we must never buy the claim of many politicians and policymakers that their hands are tied, and that there is no more money for education.  It is not money or choices that many politicians lack, but courage-the courage to match rhetoric with resources, the courage to do right by America's children.

When politicians and policymakers really want something-money is no object.  We've seen it time and time again.

When the politicians wanted to cut taxes last year-no problem! They came up with $1.3 trillion to make it happen.  And this year they came up with another $350 billion.  Can you imagine what we could do for our children if we were provided with that level of investment in public education?

When the politicians wanted Turkey's support before we invaded Iraq-no problem!  The politicians came up with $30 billion to offer to Turkey.  But what's interesting is that the Turkish government turned down the $30 billion.  So I say to you, there is $30 billion out there -- somewhere -- that should go immediately into public education!  We know it's available. Let's put it to good use right here at home by investing it in our public schools!

NEA-as we move forward, we must not underestimate either the strength . . . or the resources . . . or the zeal of our opposition.  Our opponents have deep pockets!

As we move forward, we must not underestimate the challenges that we face:

• The voucher movement is resurgent--last year's Supreme Court decision gave it renewed life.

• The state budget crisis is in fact the worst since World War II.

• And it is true that there are powerful people in Washington and elsewhere who are hostile to public education and who oppose any changes in the "No Child Left Behind Act."

There are those who are against fully funding I.D.E.A. and the Higher Ed Reauthorization Act. 

There are many who are comfortable with Head Start being on the chopping block.

It has become chic to attack affirmative action. It barely survived its most recent attack, but we know that we must be ever vigilant. The Supreme Court could change at any time, and the affirmative action opponents will be back!

Team NEA, please realize that we are in for the fight of our lives, and I deputize you - yes, I deputize you-in the name of children, students and public education! 

Team NEA, it is time for us to show them who we are, and how it's done. It is time to show them that NEA is back on track! 

Team NEA, we are back in the business of membership!  And, membership is everybody's responsibility!

We are 2.7 million-plus students, teachers, professors, education support professionals, and retirees. 

We are the families in every community across this great nation.

We are focused, committed, energized and deputized. 

We are the ones who will make Great Public Schools for Every Child.

Team NEA - as the song says, there "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"! 

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.