Education Organization Launches Assault on Life, Marriage
Posted July 10, 2009

Abortion and same-sex "marriage" were on the plate at this year's National Education Association annual conference, held from July 1-6  in San Diego, California, and unfortunately, the nation's largest professional employee labor union demonstrated its all-out onslaught against life and family.

As California Catholic Daily reports,  pro-life members of the NEA had "demanded a vote," asking the organization to change its pro-abortion position not to a pro-life one but to a position of neutrality.

According to writer Erin Roach of the Baptist Press, the proposal would have established that the NEA take "no position" on abortion or family planning and would have prevented the organization from "lobbying for or against legislation regarding the dissemination of birth control information, the funding of birth control procedures, or the sale of birth control products." Additionally, Roach writes the proposal "would have prohibited the NEA from filing a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in litigation seeking to overturn Roe v. Wade."

NEA Conservative Educators Caucus co-founder Jeralee Smith notes the organization claims to have a neutral position already, but the proposed change would have meant the NEA "could be sued if there was any evidence that they were spending any money or making any effort to help the Roe v. Wade decision."

Yet, despite a strong effort by pro-life members, the measure failed 61 to 39 percent.

Also during the convention, the NEA officially voted to support legislative efforts to legalize same-sex "marriages" and civil unions. In fact, the NEA asserts it will "support its affiliates," of which the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is one, "in opposing state constitutional and/or statutory provisions that could have the effect of prohibiting the state and its political subdivisions from providing the same rights and benefits to same-sex couples as are provided to similarly-situated heterosexual couples."

Furthermore, the NEA states it "will take such actions as may be appropriate to support efforts to

            (a) repeal any federal legislation and/or regulations that discriminate against

                 same-sex couples, and

(b) enact federal legislation and/or regulations that treat same-sex couples and 

similarly-situated heterosexual couples equally with regard to social security, health care, taxation, and other federal rights and benefits."

Ironically, as the NEA was launching an assault on life, here in New Jersey one family was celebrating the miracle of a life almost lost.

On Wednesday, the Atlantic City Press published the story of John and Tracey Kinahan, whose son, Jack, was born in July of 2008 - 15 weeks before his due date.  Note: in some places, this is still within the time frame for horrendous late-term abortions!

Doctors weren't sure little Jack, who weighed little more than two pounds at birth, would survive. But after 107 days in the hospital, this tiny baby, born with his eyes fused at an age when some babies are brutally killed, did survive. Not only did he survive but today, he is a smiling, 21-pound baby.

How many more precious lives, like Jack, never receive the intensive care or love they need because organizations like the NEA - and the NJEA, whose president, Joyce Powell, was just elected to serve on the NEA's Executive Committee - choose to masquerade their pro-death, anti-family agenda behind the guise of providing quality education to our children?

The teacher's desk should not be a bully pulpit for advocating destructive social policies. And teachers committed to defending life and the family should not be ostracized because of their views.

The NEA failed miserably this past week in showing itself a trustworthy leader in educating our children.

We strongly denounce the NEA's votes and reaffirm our commitment to supporting teachers willing to take a stand for life, marriage, and the family.

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