NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #18/NN_1992_18.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/5811

Text File | 1992-08-14 | 4.8 KB | 94 lines

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Subject: Shanker Appeals To AFT Delegates To Fight Private School Vouchers
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Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 17:16:02 GMT
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Here is a press release from the American Federation of Teachers.

 Shanker Appeals To AFT Delegates To Fight Private School Vouchers
 To: National Desk, Education Writers
 Contact: Janet Bass of the American Federation of Teachers,
          412-281-7160 or 202-879-4554 (after Aug. 16)

   PITTSBURGH, Aug. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- American Federation of
Teachers President Albert Shanker issued an emotional appeal today to
the nearly 4,000 delegates attending the AFT convention to seize the
opportunity to preserve and improve public education and campaign
relentlessly to elect Bill Clinton, who shares the same hopes and
dreams for Americans.
   In his major address to the 72nd AFT convention, Shanker spoke of
the numerous "external dangers" facing public education, including
unrelenting Republican proposals to divert federal dollars to private
school tuition vouchers, drastically reduced school funding and
escalating school violence.
   Shanker told the delegates that private school voucher plans will
have a ripple effect on other public services.
   "If the American people allow the public schools to go private,
what hope is there for public higher education?  If the American
people allow public schools to go private, what hope is there that we
will ever have the courage and determination to develop a national
health care system?" Shanker asked.  "If the American public schools
go private, what hope is there that there will be any commitment to
maintaining any other public services?"
   Shanker also said that private schools receiving any federal
dollars should be required to adhere to the same regulations public
schools must obey.
   "They've got to take all children and they should not be permitted
to reject or keep anyone out or kick anyone out," he said.  "It's
public money and they ought to be living under public laws if they do
that (accept public dollars)."
   Shanker urged the convention delegates, who formally endorsed
Clinton for president today, to work hard to elect Clinton in
Noember because of his sound hopes and dreams for Americans.
   "I think we can leave this convention with a new sense of hope,
because our union understands these dreams and how to make them come
true.  Bill Clinton understands these dreams and how to make them
come true.  Now we need to make sure that he's in the White House so
that they can indeed," Shanker said to rousing applause.
   On reforming education, Shanker stressed that two jobs lay ahead:
improving traditional schools and creating new, innovative schools.
   "Most of the schools around the world that are old-fashioned are
doing better than we are.  Therefore, we need to change not only to
create new schools, but we need to engage in a rigorous and tough
process of change within traditional schools and ask, 'How can we
substantially improve?'" Shanker said.
   On other education issues:
   -- Shanker supported the creation of a national curriculum "that
is so terrific that they will be voluntarily adopted by states and
localities."  He said students whose families move during the school
year should have continuity in their course work.
   -- A new set of tests should be established, Shanker said, that
accurately reflect student progress.
   -- Shanker said students in secondary grades should be grouped
according to achievement, with each group being pushed hard to meet
and exceed high standards.
   -- Clinton's proposal to deal with disruptive students parallels a
new AFT plan -- place them in special alternative educational
facilities until they are ready to return to the regular classrooms.
"We need to turn this into a national campaign," Shanker said.
   -- Shanker mentioned the "vastly improved" relations with the
National Education Association, which recently agreed to discuss a
possible merger with the AFT.
   Shanker also blasted efforts to permanently replace striking
workers and said the North American Free Trade Agreement would be
detrimental to American workers.
   He also stressed the importance of reforming the health care
system.  And he said a true family value issue is support for
legislation to allow employees to take unpaid leave to care for
family members.
   The AFT represents 796,000 teachers and professors, school-
related employees and paraprofessionals, nurses and health care
workers, state and municipal workers.
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