The NEA Playbook – Undermining Charter Opportunities for Kids
(Newswire, April 23, 2019) THE NEA PLAYBOOK. It’s right out of the playbook and it’s official. This behavior - and that from DC, to NC to CA - is part of NEA’s very own book of plays designed to “help” the union and its members attack the charter school movement. This is nothing new of course. For years the teachers' unions have worked hard to message against transformational change. The difference today is that they are actually using the language of Edreformers - like Opportunity, Quality and Student Success - terminology that the charter movement created. No matter; as their intentions are vastly different.
Here are just a smattering of NEA campaign recommendations to undermine charter opportunities for kids:
“Charter school scandals make headlines and color the enterprise...Uncovering such scandal is worth the effort.”
“Critical for campaign purposes is whether the authorizer is elected or appointed. Authorizers who are local and elected are likely to be more responsive to community input.” (Because school boards are so accountable??)
“Our job is to build the case and deliver it to responsible public authorities, and demand that they do their job.” (Hmmm… where is that attitude about the 70% of students below basic on reading and math?)
“Find an interested journalist and present them with a storyline, background and supporting documentation. Studies that ferret out bad actors can get a day’s press. Themes need to be identified and repeated again and again with diverse audiences and opportunities.”
“Sometimes the future is hard to see. In the case of charter schools, it is often a few clicks away. States that apply for federal charter school funding are required to describe their strategies and plans for growth. The grant application can be expected to project how many new charter schools the state intends to create, and perhaps even the intended locations or operators. They can be gold mines of forward-looking information.”
“The effort to site the building provides an opportunity to stake opposition or make demands.”
Understand the Opposition
“Above all else, we need to use the right messenger. Our goal is the best interest of the children. The best messengers are students, parents and teachers.”
Yes, they are.
