WEA Responds, Poorly, to NMSI
By now, everyone here knows that Washington was the only state to miss out on $13.2 million dollars in grant money from the National Math and Science Institute. (We posted on it here and here.) The teachers' union, appropriately, took some tough hits in the media, with my favorite shot being the Columbian's suggestion that they take the E out of WEA.
WEA president, Mary Lindquist wrote a response letter to the NMSI. It calls to mind the old literary line, "'Shut up,' he explained.
NMSI insisted on paying teachers a $100 bounty every time a student passed an AP math or science test.
Bounty. They suggested alternatives. NMSI rejected them. (It's their money.) And, suggesting the criticism of the union stung, Lindquist goes on.
WEA members are committed to quality education for all students.
They're just not committed to waiving their hard-and-fast collective bargaining rules to try something new.
Read the whole letter. it's an eye-opener.
Apparently, WEA leaders continue with their "just give us YOUR money because we know what is best!"
Fat chance NMSI would continue discussions with WEA after the letter their president sent. WEA ought to remember it is THEIR money----and our sons, daughters and grandchildren!
Posted by: Don Brunell | June 11, 2008 at 05:10 PM
Free money for educational endeavors rejected while suing the state to bail the school districts out. Nothing about this is "for the kids." It's for the power-and-money mongering union officials. This story will cost the WEA far more than $13.2 million.
Posted by: Jones | June 12, 2008 at 09:31 AM
All I can say is "WOW."
The union rejects an infusion of money into the system, and calls the charitable donor "rigid," "intransigent," and "adversarial." What planet to WEA officials live on?
Posted by: WEA Knows Best | June 12, 2008 at 09:42 AM