Pro-Life Teachers Upset at NEA Endorsement of Pro-Abortion March
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 19, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — It isn’t the first time the National Education Association has backed abortion and it likely won’t be the last. But, for pro-life teachers, that their national union is co-sponsoring this month’s march for abortion is another example of the organization destroying the lives of students teachers otherwise would have taught.
During the April 25th march for abortion, sponsored by leading pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood and the Feminist Majority Foundation, the NEA’s Washington headquarters will serve as a hospitality center for participants.
Meanwhile, state affiliates, like the one in New Jersey, will be sponsoring busloads of marchers.
Connie Bancroft, the executive director of Teachers Saving Children, a pro-life teachers group, told the Washington Times that abortion "is a political issue and not an educational issue."
"We’re supposed to be for children, and they say it’s OK to eliminate our very clientele. That’s hard to understand," Bancroft told the Times.
Bancroft and other pro-life teachers oppose the fact that many are required to be a part of the 2.7 million member union thanks to collective-bargaining agreements in their school districts. As a result, they have no recourse when their dues go to pay for these pro-abortion activities.
Pro-life teachers also are upset by top NEA officials serving in leadership capacities with abortion advocacy groups. According to the Washington Times, Randall Moodey, the top NEA lobbyist, is an original board member and the treasurer for Planned Parenthood’s political action committee that funds pro-abortion candidates.
In March, the New Jersey NEA affiliate came under fire for inviting members to join the union in supporting and attending the pro-abortion march.
Not only was the invitation published in the March 2004 NJEA review, the announcement also stated that the Association’s Women in Education Committee, "with approval form the NJEA Executive Committee, will charter two buses for members."
"When I read this I was quite upset," said Kreiss-Papalski, an NJEA member and guidance secretary at a New Jersey high school. "I do not feel that my union dues should support this, nor do I think that a union who’s soul purpose is to represent those in the field of education should be supporting something that has nothing to do with education."
NJEA’s Director of Communications, Lynn Maher, said the announcement was in line with the union’s stance on the abortion issue.
"NJEA has a pro-choice policy position," Maher told LifeNews.com.
When asked if a similar invitation was made for the March for Life in January, Maher said that if the event was contrary to the Association’s policy, then they would not have endorsed it.
Last year, pro-life teachers oppose a pro-abortion resolution proposed at the NEA’s annual conference in New Orleans.
The resolution backed implementation of family planning clinics inside schools that will provide "intensive counsel by trained personnel." Pro-life teachers oppose the resolution because Planned Parenthood may have a role in training the counselors and the clinic may likely make abortion referrals.
ACTION: Contact the NEA with your thoughts at NEA, 1201 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-3290, (p) (202) 833-4000, (f) (202) 822-7974, or by email at https://www.nea.org/contact.html
Related web sites:
Teachers Saving Children – https://www.teacherssavingchildren.org
NEA – https://www.nea.org
