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| NUMBER 247 | THE NEWSPAPER OF EDUCATION RIGHTS | AUGUST 2006 |
| NEA Conventioneers Promote Gay Agenda | |
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Word leaked out several weeks ahead of time that the convention was expected to insert in Resolution B-8 on Diversity a new plank endorsing same-sex marriage. Apparently, enough NEA members let it be known that this was unacceptable, so the plank was not offered. The plank that failed to make it onto the convention floor read: "The Association believes that legal rights and responsibilities with regard to medical decisions, taxes, inheritance, adoption, legal immigration, domestic partnerships, and civil unions and/or marriage belong to all of these diverse groups and individuals." Instead, the convention approved the insertion of this new compromise plank in Resolution B-10 on Racism, Sexism, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identification Discrimination: "The Association also believes that these factors should not affect the legal rights and obligations of the partners in a legally recognized domestic partnership, civil union, or marriage in regard to matters involving the other partner, such as medical decisions, taxes, inheritance, adoption, and immigration." The "factors" referred to in this plank were made clear in the previous sentence, which has been part of this Racism Resolution for several years: "Discrimination and stereotyping based on such factors as race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, disability, ethnicity, immigration status, occupation, and religion must be eliminated." There was limited floor discussion about the new sentence. The Alabama representative asked that the resolution be referred back to the Resolutions Committee, but debate was closed off quickly and the resolution was overwhelmingly approved in typical NEA style. For the past dozen years, NEA resolutions have each year adopted more and more of the gay rights agenda. Whereas, gay rights goals such as same-sex marriage are steadily losing at the polls (20 states have passed state constitutional amendments restricting marriage to a man and a woman), the gay rights agenda is moving ahead full speed in the public schools, with assistance from the NEA. Among the other resolutions passed in Orlando that advance the gay agenda were the following: A-14: "Funds must be provided for programs to alleviate race, gender, and sexual orientation discrimination and to eliminate . . . sexual orientation and gender identification stereotypes in the public schools." Meanwhile, the NEA's Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification issued a report (more significant than the resolutions) urging the NEA to advocate for "the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues in the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) teacher education program review process." |
