The Online Communiqué of Northwest Professional Educators
September 3, 2002
Welcome Back to School!
Controversy over NEA Suggested Lesson Plan for September 11
NWPE Fall Leadership Conference to Offer Clock Hours
Joining NWPE for Professionalism and Job Protection
Welcome Back to School!
Northwest Professional Educators wishes all educators a productive school year. May you all be rewarded generously for your efforts.
Controversy Over NEA Suggested Lesson Plan for September 11
The NEA has been hammered in the press over a suggested lesson plan listed on its website for the September 11 terrorist attack. According to reports, the lesson plan cautions teachers not to "suggest any group is responsible" for the terrorist attacks but does suggest that America may be to blame for her "historical instances of American intolerance."
Northwest Professional Educators believes that teachers should utilize the facts when discussing last September's tragedy, help students make sense of what happened, and place the attack in context with other historical acts of violence. One resource teachers may find useful is the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation's September 11 materials. According to the website, the foundation seeks "to buttress the civic values and enlarge the knowledge base of teachers and other educators--to redress the balance between those who would have the schools forge citizens and those who would have them focus on students' own feelings and on doubts about America." The centerpiece is 23 short essays by a distinguished array of Americans. The essays offer a wide range of perspectives but do not politicize or psychologize the topic. The materials will help educators help their students learn what it means to be an American, their nation's true history, how precious and hard-fought liberty is, what it's like in countries that do not enjoy our freedoms, how to appreciate heroism, and how to conduct ourselves as Americans. For more information visit: http://www.edexcellence.net/Sept11/September11.html.
We encourage educators and students to continue to pray for the families and loved ones of the 3,000 victims (a tragedy worse than Pearl Harbor), as well as for those who lost loved ones in the war on terror and for the safety of our armed forces and public servants. We urge teachers and students to pledge themselves to learn and live the values that were attacked by the terrorists, namely freedom, human dignity, and tolerance for all religious viewpoints.
Tracey Bailey, National Projects Director of the Association of American Educators (AAE) with which NWPE is affiliated, was interviewed on Fox News Network about the issue and assured listeners that the members of our organization are America-loving educators who fulfill their legal and moral obligation to instill patriotism and civic virtue in their students.
NWPE Fall Leadership Conference to Offer Clock Hours
Clock hours will be offered for our Fall Leadership Conference on Saturday, October 19th in Spokane. Presentation topics will include Education Leadership in the New Millennium (Mr. Gary Beckner, Executive Director of AAE), The WASL Question: Worthwhile or Wasteful? (Dr. Donald C. Orlich, Professor Emeritus WSU, and Character Education "Within Reason" (Glenda Braaten and Marsha Costin, Better Business Bureau). NWPE members may attend at no cost. Conference will include lunch. Contact info@nwpe.org for more details.
Joining NWPE for Professionalism and Job Protection
Educators, including teachers, administrators and support staff (certified and classified) of any education entity may join NWPE by calling 800-380-6973 to sign up over the phone using a credit card. Or, they may join by filling out a membership application form on one of our brochures, newsletters, or posted on the website (www.nwpe.org) and returning it with a check or credit card information. The $2 million liability policy with guaranteed job protection benefits for legal fees becomes effective the day that the educator joins. Professional level dues are $169 which includes the liability insurance. Associate member dues are $25 and include access to conferences and the newsletters of both NWPE and AAE. There are six reasons to join now!
- NWPE is focused on what is best for students, principles, professionalism, and providing real job protection benefits.
- NWPE does not contribute any money to political parties or political candidates.
- NWPE does not promote controversial social issues or non-classroom political agendas with members' dues.
- NWPE provides $2 million liability insurance with guaranteed benefits for legal fees for job protection issues.
- NWPE is affiliated with the Association of American Educators and is part of the Coaltion of Independent Education Associations which includes over 250,000 teachers nationwide.
- You have a legal right to choose the association (or union) you want .
Have a wonderful year and thank you for your dedicated work on behalf of young people.
Cindy Omlin, Executive Director
