Recent data from the federal government’s National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals a troubling state of student achievement, with 40 percent of American fourth graders possessing below-basic reading skills and only 26 percent of high school seniors demonstrating proficiency in mathematics.
Despite these sobering statistics, pedagogical concerns reportedly took a backseat to political activism at the recent annual convention of the National Education Association (NEA), the country’s largest teachers’ union.
The focus on political matters was highlighted by one delegate from Texas. She recounted an experience where a colleague, attempting to initiate a discussion on effective reading and writing instruction, was rebuffed by other union members. The colleague was reportedly told, “We don’t have time for that. We’ve got to fight Trump.” This sentiment appeared to reflect the convention’s broader agenda, with an official NEA summary of approved business items detailing numerous politically focused resolutions.
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