Please help me ask the NEA, and their state affiliates, to kick out all the administrators.

[RobertAustin]

Imagine if Walmart employees succeeded in their long-running efforts to unionize, and then allowed Bentonville, Arkansas Walmart executives to join. Ridiculous, right?

Well, it is just as absurd for the NEA or its state affiliates to allow teacher-abusing, overpaid administrators to continue to be members of those unions -- and yet, they do.

With very few exceptions, administrators have become the enemies of education in modern America. Also, they have their own professional organization. The NEA doesn't need them, nor do they need (nor deserve) membership in the NEA.

If you agree, please sign this petition, and share it with others: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-national-education-association-stop-allowing-administrators-to-join-the-nea-or-its-state-affiliates

There is also a larger, ongoing, petition to Congress, requesting federal legislation to cut the pay (and therefore the number of) public school administrators, nationwide. It is right here: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-c-a-p-education-reform-proposal-save-america-s-schools-by-cutting-administrators-pay-with-federal-legislation

Both petitions explain themselves, and I am asking you to sign and spread them only if you agree with them. Thank you.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Not going to do it, nope, not going to sign onto these.

Most admins are former teachers, and you wrote:

There are, of course, a small number of good administrators, but it is a VERY small number. The vast majority interfere with education, in multiple ways, and, for most teachers, are simply highly-paid, human obstacles to our effectively doing our jobs. If the NEA truly values education, then administrators are the last people who should be allowed to join. They teach no one, they disrupt education, and, for the few good ones who do exist, they have their own professional organizations to which they can belong.

Were you to write that about teachers, DU would have you for lunch.

These petitions smack of "teachers good, admins bad" OTT stereotyping.

Pitting one group against the other isn't going to help one bit.

And if admins are overpaid in a district, let the citizens and parents of that district address the problem at the local level.

No sir, I'm not going to sign either of these petitions.

[RobertAustin]

4. NYC_SKP, a reply to your reply.

I was very careful to specify I was asking people to sign these only if they agree with them. Since you don't, no problem.

NYC_SKP, let me explain the situation here a bit more.

Where I teach, administrators have CREATED a very real "teachers good, administrators bad" situation. They have bullied many friends of mine terribly -- two of whom had to be hospitalized -- and are engaged (along with politicians) in an all-out battle to destroy my local union. What's more, central Arkansas is far from being the only place where this is happening.

Yes, administrators are generally former teachers, as you wrote -- and here, at least, they are former teachers who have betrayed their former colleagues, and are actively fighting against us, to the detriment of the education of our students.

If this is not the case where you are, I am glad to know that our situation doesn't exist everywhere. If you aren't having to deal with overpaid, abusive, out-of-control administrators where you teach (I am assuming you are a teacher), then I am happy for you.

Unfortunately, that would make our situations very different.

As stated before, I am asking people to sign these petitions (one or both) if, and only if, they agree with them. By clicking on the link for either one, one isn't signing -- but only going to the petition website, where one can read it. Then the reader can decide whether to sign, or not sign. It's not a one-click thing, and I'm not asking anyone to sign something with which they disagree.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Thanks for the reply, and I hope things get better in Arkansas.

I wonder if there are any grassroots level local actions that would be effective in bringing about change in your district or city.

Good luck!

[RobertAustin]

7. Thank you, NYC_SKP

We're trying everything we can -- including court action in progress.

These petitions weren't formed until after we petitioned our Governor (a Democrat) first. Counting handwritten and on-line signatures as well, there were over 1,500 signatures on that first petition.

The governor completely ignored these 1,500+ people. Only then did the petition drives go national.

We will continue fighting. Our unions and district have fought in court before, and the unions have always won before. I am trying hard to stay optimistic that the same thing will happen this time: victory for the good guys.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. NEA allows administrators to join?

That's crazy. There's a group in MO that does that as well. MSTA - MO State Teachers Assn

[RobertAustin]

6. Crazy, yes, but true.

Yes, the NEA, and all state affiliates, do allow administrators to join. Local unions don't -- at least mine doesn't -- however, to their credit.

I would appreciate people at least LOOKING at these petitions. Clicking on the links only lets you read them -- it doesn't mean you automatically sign them. After reading it, you may then decide whether or not to sign one or both.

I'm not asking anyone to sign any petition without reading it first, and, even then, I would only want someone to sign either, or both, IF they agree with them.

I respect the rights of those who disagree with my views to refrain from signing these petitions. There's no "trick" being played here.

[antiquie]

3. What a truly terrible idea.

MOST administrators are suffering from the broken system. Do we need reform at the top? Possibly, but that proposition is not a solution.

[RobertAustin]

8. We do need reform at the top, yes. Any other ideas?

We definitely do need reform at the top, where corruption, in many (if not all) school districts is rampant.

There may, indeed, be better ways to go about getting it.

I am open to any suggestions you may have.

[elleng]

9. Similar/relevant, re: universities:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11243604

[Smarmie Doofus]

10. I signed. It brings attention to the issue of poorly administered schools.

Dismal quality of most school leadership is NEVER discussed... even here, much less in msm. So this is a good, if imperfect , beginning.