Reply #4: While I welcome some fence-mending, I think Duncan and Obama have a long way to go.

[femmocrat]

Their education policies have been terrible for teachers.

For example, stimulus money runs out at the end of this year, causing many furloughs and jobs lost to attrition. This will translate into larger class sizes and a cut in programs and activities next school year.

The "meme" about dismissing ineffective teachers is just a wingnut talking point. There is no glut of ineffective teachers and there is no barrier to dismissing them. They just cannot be fired "at will" for political reasons (if they are in a union and/or have tenure). When Duncan and Obama start listening to teachers and enacting meaningful "reforms", I might change my opinion. NEA will not influence either my donations or my activism.