Boehner Says No to Teacher’s Jobs, Children’s Future
Posted in: NEA Today, Top Story
By Rene’ Carter and Cynthia McCabe
When 300,000 educators’ jobs are on the line, something has to be done to protect the children they teach, right? Not so, said Congressman John Boehner (R-Ohio) this evening, calling an effort to save teachers’ an attempt to “pad the education bureaucracy.”
Unfortunately Congressman Boehner is playing politics with our children’s and nation’s future. Keeping teachers in the classroom instead of the unemployment line will not ‘pad the education bureaucracy.’ The only thing worse than the Congressman’s deliberate mischaracterization of the bill and his political posturing is his credibility on what makes for responsible action by Congress in a time of crisis.
And just in case Congressman Boehner thinks there is not a problem in his home state of Ohio — where more than 1,000 teachers now face layoffs and where in Cleveland alone class size are projected to jump from 20 to 45 students — we share this story from an Ohio teacher recently posted on http://educationvotes.nea.org. Joanne of Canton, Ohio, writes: “I am a dedicated teacher of 35 years, a National Board Certified Language Arts teacher with an M.Ed. and many, many hours of additional certification. I worry about keeping my teaching job — a job I love. Aid to our school district has been cut by over $1.9 million. We have 1930s buildings with drinking fountains and toilets that don’t work…If you think teachers are at the source of our students’ failures, visit me or any teacher. Spend the day. I guarantee that you will be exhausted, frustrated, yet amazingly satisfied with your experience. But I still love my job. Don’t blame my union. Don’t blame my colleagues. See for yourselves how it is.”
It’s very doubtful that Congressman Boehner will accept Joanne’s offer. But we challenge him to go to her class before the end of the school year and tell her students why he’s not supporting a bill to save more than 300,000 education jobs and why he’s not trying to help ensure that they get the best education possible.
And since he won’t go to Joanne’s class, we have to call Congressman Boehner — and all our members of Congress at (202) 224-3121 – and tell them to stop playing politics with the future of our children – include the Education Jobs Fund in the supplemental funding bills now moving through Congress!