Have you ever perused the National Education Association’s (NEA) website? The statements made on the website show the true colors of the association that says they stand for education. However, not once do they focus on real world learning, creating classrooms that work on skills that are needed to be successful beyond the classroom, encouraging teachers to teach students HOW to think and not what to think, or even holding students accountable to their choices. Instead, there is a focus on race, equality, the destruction of “White supremacy”, and many other politically driven ideologies that have nothing to do with education. For an association with “Education” in its name, I question what kind of “Education” they are pushing.
For those of you who do not know, “The National Education Association (NEA) is more than 3 million people—educators, students, activists, workers, parents, neighbors, friends—who believe in opportunity for all students and in the power of public education to transform lives and create a more just and inclusive society” (nea.org). Their own definition screams of social justice and political grandstanding over anything related to actual education. The NEA is the largest teachers union in the United States and holds significant power in the political sector.
The NEA claims to support teachers and students by “transforming lives and creating a more just and inclusive society.” The problem with that is they will oust anyone who does not follow, agree with, or support the overall political agendas that they push and support. This then begs the question as to what is the true purpose and mission of the NEA. You see, any organization that touts equality and inclusiveness, yet defames, denies, or alienates any group or person within society that disagrees with them is not actually in support of either equality or inclusiveness. The NEA is about political grandstanding and pushing false narratives in education – and this should be of great concern to you.
When organizations, like the NEA, have such a powerful influence in public education, you can be sure that “education” is happening in the public school system. However, the type of education that is encouraged has nothing to do with building real world skills that will help students become successful beyond their public education. I have stated this more times than I can count – A classroom is not a place for politics, political agendas, or pushing of political ideologies. Nevertheless, the NEA pushes for all of these within the school system. Nowhere does the NEA push for better ways of learning through hands-on activities, real world application, and the exploration of careers that would best fit the passion and desires of students. Nowhere does the NEA encourage out of the box thinking, classrooms that focus on content standards that support and encourage skills needed in the world beyond the classroom, nor do they support and encourage characteristics such as discipline, personal responsibility, and good work ethic.
As a parent, I want full control of what my child is learning. I want to know that my child’s education – learning of skills to help them be productive, successful members of society – is the main focus in the classroom. I want to know that my child’s teacher is helping her learn HOW to think and not what to think. As a parent, I want to believe that the classroom is a safe place and free from ideologies and agendas that have NOTHING to do with education. However, knowing what actually goes on in the public school system and knowing the political ideologies, agendas, and lackluster standards that are supported and encouraged in the schools, my wife and I have taken the steps to ensure that our children are being prepared for the real world, gaining knowledge and skills that will help them achieve their goals and dreams, and most importantly provide them with a firm foundation in which to build their own life through home-schooling.
If the leading organization in education has little to do with REAL education, then you should ask yourself what is the purpose and overall mission of said organization. In the end, we must all decide what is truly important and needed in education. If “social justice” and “equality” are really what should be at the forefront of education, then don’t expect to have a society that is disciplined, hard working, skilled, or competent. Rather, expect a weak, selfish, self centered, entitled, incompetent, and incapable future society. What is education for if not to educate students on how to be successful beyond the classroom? And if success only comes through hard work, discipline, and taking personal responsibility, then why are these not the foundation in which we are educating our students?
Choose wisely the purpose and mission of education, as the future depends on it.
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