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NEA Resolutions vs. Teachers and Parents

Each year at its annual Representative Assembly, the National Education Association approves official resolutions. But how well do the NEA's stated positions on controversial issues represent the views of teachers nationwide, including those in Colorado? And how well do they represent the goals that individual parents, students, and taxpaying citizens have for public education?

So what exactly can be found in the official 2007-2008 NEA Resolutions (large PDF - may take a long time to download on slower connections)?

Stances on controversial, non-education issues with which many teachers may disagree:

Health care: "H-7. National Health Care Policy. The National Education Association believes that affordable, comprehensive health care, including prescription drug coverage, is the right of every resident. The Association supports the adoption of a single-payer health care plan for all residents of the United States, its territories, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico...."
International diplomacy, missile defense, and the United Nations: "I-1. Peace and International Relations. ...The Association urges all nations to develop treaties and disarmament agreements that reduce the possibility of war. The Association also believes that such treaties and agreements should prevent the placement of weapons in outer space. The Association believes that the United Nations furthers world peace and promotes the rights of all people by preventing war, racism, and genocide...."
Global warming: "I-8. Global Warming. The National Education Association believes that global warming causes significant measurable damage to the earth and its inhabitants. The Association also believes that humans must take steps to change activities that contribute to global warming...."
Abortion and birth control: "I-15. Family Planning. The National Education Association supports family planning, including the right to reproductive freedom.... The Association also urges the implementation of community-operated, school-based family planning clinics that will provide intensive counseling by trained personnel."
Immigration: "I-20. Immigration. The Association opposes any immigration policy that denies human and/or civil rights or educational opportunities to immigrants and their children regardless of their immigration status, hinders workers’ abilities to organize, imposes excessive fees and fines on those seeking legalization, or criminalizes individuals or groups who support or assist immigrants regardless of their status."
No official English language: "I-51. Linguistic Diversity. The National Education Association believes that, although English is the language of political and economic communication in the United States, efforts to legislate English as the official languagedisregard cultural pluralism; deprive those in need of education, social services, and employment; and must be challenged...."

Stances that denigrate the educational choices made by many parents:

Should parents have choices in education? "A-33. Federally or State-Mandated Choice/Parental Option Plans. The Association believes that federally or state mandated parental option or choice plans compromise free, equitable, universal, and quality public education for every student. Therefore, the Association opposes such federally or state-mandated choice or parental option plans."
What about parents who choose to teach their children at home? "B-75. Home Schooling. The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress.... Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used."
How different does NEA really want public charter schools to be? From A-31: "Charter school programs must be qualitatively different from what is available in mainstream public schools and not just an avenue for parental choice." / "Local school boards should be the only entity that can grant or renew charter applications." / "Private, for-profit entities should not be eligible to receive a charter."
What about allowing students to attend a school in a building that used to be a traditional public school? "A-11. Use of Closed Public School Buildings. The Association believes that closed public school buildings should be sold or leased only to those organizations that do not provide direct educational services to students and/or are not in direct competition with public schools."

Finally, NEA does not want teachers to be tested for competency: "D-21. Competency Testing of Licensed Teachers. The National Education Association believes that competency testing must not be used as a condition of employment, license retention, evaluation, placement, ranking, or promotion of licensed teachers."