Virginia Education Association: Breach of Trust

Recently, the Virginia Education Association representing for than 60,000 teachers throughout the Commonwealth drove itself over the political cliff by instructing its membership to participate in "Obama Blue Day" by wearing a solid blue t-shirt of some sort in solidarity for support for Barack Obama.

If that were the end of it it certainly would be fine I guess, but it wasn't.

The association which is Virginia's teacher union instructed its membership to seek out those McCain supporters they may know either in their own ranks or parents of the children they teach and attempt to "sway them to become Obama supporters".

This directive was placed in an email dissimilated throughout the teacher union for the purposes of influencing not only a captive audience in our children but also a blatant attempt to use their authority of influence over our children for political gain.

By any stretch, the VEA engaged in partisan political activism.

Our schools are no place for such activism. Encouraging our young people to register to vote is one thing when they become of age, but introducing them or encouraging them to join a particular Party is astonishing and is a breach of trust between us as parents and the teachers union.

I have no doubt that the Union feels compelled to support the Democrats. That is completely fine, but not within our schools or during school hours.

Those that feel that this event was simply harmless or did not encourage children or influence them in any way forget that upon seeing all the teachers wearing "Blue"; would not the logical question be:

"So Mr/Mrs. Teacher why are all of you wearing BLUE shirts today? Whats up?"---the hook

The answer being "In support of Democrat Barack Obama for President" and so the conversation begins which is exactly what the VEA sought in its email sent out to its membership.

The goal here by the VEA was not one of "informing" but of "influencing" and there is a difference.

Would the Union permit or authorize a RED day for those teachers in its ranks that support the GOP have a day of their own? I seriously doubt it and that again speaks volumes.

There are things that I do not want the school system to be engaged in regarding my children and politics is one of them.

My children will certainly undertake social studies and civics, but that is a far cry from politics. It is exactly the folks at the VEA who have skewed the line of these studies to include such partisanship endeavors that I would prefer my children not be exposed to in such an atmosphere.

Here is a novel concept. If your going to enagage in such activities, how about endorsing a Red, White, and Blue Day to encourage a more patriotic position regarding voting rights and not the partisan measures undertaken with "Obama Blue Day".

Its funny, the VEA apparantly had no comment when the GOP rally for McCain/Palin had to be removed from Fairfax County school grounds on the very foundation by Fairfax Democrats and teachers that our children should not be exposed to a partisan rally and yet they authorize this "Obama Blue Day" on every school campus in the Commonwealth.

This is absolutely a breach in trust.