DRAFT                 DRAFT                           DRAFT                DRAFT       

 

Resolution re No Child Left Behind

From Peace and Freedom Caucus

National Education Association R.A.

July 1-6, 2008

 

June 6, 2008

 

Whereas, NEA overwhelmingly opposes No Child Left Behind (NCLB) because it:

 

_    has discredited, punished, and dismantled our public schools, causing instability, chaos, corporatization, contracting out, privatization, profiteering, and parent flight;

_    gives military recruiters unprecedented access to our most vulnerable children, exposing them to this country=s imperialist, perpetual wars;

_    is based solely on racist high-stakes tests, which are biased against working-class, low-income, limited-English, and children of color;

_    has regimented and demeaned the curriculum into test preparation, stripped us of freedom to teach and students of freedom to learn, and increased drop-outs;

_    has instilled fear, set school workers against each other, and imposed social control on our potentially most democratic institution;

_    Although some have resisted, NCLB has squeezed the honor, pride, integrity, and joy out of the teaching profession; made us accomplices in abusing our children and hijacking our schools; and is driving the best of us out of teaching;

 

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Therefore, be it resolved that the National Education Association demand immediate repeal of NCLB and make as a condition of its endorsement that all candidates for elective office support its repeal; and

 

that NEA encourage, support, defend, and celebrate all school workers, students, parents, and guardians resisting NCLB, and work to build the Resistance;

 

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written by Susan Harman for the NEA Peace and Justice Caucus