Dennis Van Roekel on Race to the Top

[ProSense]

Video: Responding to Race to the Top

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. And his members say:

09/25/09 - Julie

I am sorely disappointed NEA is taking this position. I personally believe we should abandon federal intrusion into our public schools. We will not achieve greater results with more federal tampering. I would like to see schools returned to local control, by those who KNOW the students they serve. I believe such a practice would permit greater flexibility and empower local schools and their teachers to be more innovative and responsive. Another issue that I rarely hear discussed is what, in my experience, amounts to an American passion for "more is better" and younger is even better. The content standards in California are so many and dense, teachers are hard-pressed to teach all of them before the STAR testing in the spring. Stopping to reteach or examine in depth precludes teaching all standards, there is not time. We teach a curriculum that is a mile wide and an inch deep. We wonder why many students are faring poorly. Many (most) other nations are willing to allow teachers to teach less, but to a greater degree of mastery. Our public educational system has been following misguided policies. Since the intrusion of the federal government into our day-to-day teaching, we are the victims more and more often of having to follow standards and curriculum created by nonteachers. We are simply not invited into the relevant discussions on educational practices, yet a number of economists and the like are. I suspect our media is selective in the voices and opinions it listens to and publishes. I think we must work, somehow, to get valid and relevant research about how children actually learn into the media. The research is out there, but often times even the folks in our business are not gaining access to it. Let's spend our time and resources wisely. Let's educate, not enable.

09/27/09 - Cathy

As an NEA member, I am appalled at the NEA's commitment to Obama's Race to the Top. The name itself leads anyone to believe that there must be a loser. As with any race, there can be only one winner. Who benefits or wins from that? Students? Teachers? The Community? States? Federal Government? Who, then, will be the losers? Students? Teachers? The Community? States? Federal Government? Listening to President Van Roeckel I felt that he (and NEA) wants to "be in the loop" with the new administration so much that he is willing to sell his members (and the students they represent) down the river. Please, stand for a better program. Fight for the people who are in the classrooms on a daily basis. Remember that we, the staff in the classrooms, are the ones most affected by the policies made in Congress. Listen to our voices.

03/05/10 - Roy

I find it discouraging that the NEA and Obama supports the ideal that funding for education should be a competition and not a right for all of children. As a father you would think that Obama understands that teachers play a part in a child's education. But the support has to come from home. Maybe Rokel and Obama should go back to college and so they can get a refresher on the importance of the school - family - community partnership. Rokel and Obama you guys can Google Joyce L. Epstein if you cannot grasp the concept that it takes a village to raise a child. Not a test score, standards or competition. I thought I voted for change and not more of the same. What a disappointment. $4.3 billion for education for "some of our children" and $710 billion for the Iraq war.

01/13/10 - Concerned Member

How can the NEA receive messages like the ones posted in this string and not respond to the membership? Every comment on this blog is against RTTT. A sound union seeks input from members - Please formally ask the members of the NEA how they feel about Race To the Top. Once the NEA has that data, please act on it.