‘Civil Rights’ Organizations Stand with Unions, Against Obama and Education Reform
by Kyle OlsonEvery now and then, I kind of feel sorry for President Obama. If there’s anyone that has seen bad schools, it would be a community organizer from the south side of Chicago.
President Obama has rolled out a series of education reforms, tepid as they may be, with the goal of improving America’s schools.
To say the least, many of America’s schools, particularly in urban areas, are downright pathetic. You can almost count on dismal student performance, union employees sucking the financial life out of the district, and an assembly line, one-size-fits-all mentality that actually produces graduates who can’t read their own diplomas.
A quality education has been called - rightly so - the civil rights issue of the 21st Century.
It’s no secret Big Labor stands opposed to any meaningful education reform: Labor leaders oppose charter schools because they’re usually not unionized, performance pay because it rewards hard work and innovation, and tenure reform because it threatens the concept of lifetime employment that’s not tied to performance.
President Obama has made tiny steps towards addressing these problems, but instead of demanding better results from urban schools, “civil rights” organizations like the NAACP and the Urban League are standing with the adults, not the children.
Shame on them.
I understand the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers often purchase political allies with lavish contributions. In 2008, for example, the NEA gave the NAACP $200,000 for political activities. The AFT has given smaller sums to the NAACP and other “civil rights” organizations.
It’s clear that the NAACP and similar organizations are more concerned with their friends in the teachers unions than they are about the well-being of minority students. It’s disheartening that they are standing with the unions and fighting Obama’s efforts to improve conditions and opportunities for inner-city children.
But it goes to show that, in some quarters, political ideology trumps what is best for our future: children who can read and are prepared to continue making our country the greatest in the world.
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87 Comments
Unions ARE the problem in public education.
Who are they "collectively bargaining" against anyway?
YOU!
Dissolve the Dept. Of Ed and get the federal government out of your child's education and out of your home!
Education is a local jurisdiction issue under the tenth amendment and putting it in the hands of the federal government is nothing short of indoctrination.
End the "Indoctrination Warehouse Complex"!
Outlaw ALL public employee unions!
The NAACP is now nothing but a far left agenda promoting lobby looking for bucks, no different than unions.
They have no problem screwing over kids to reach their goals, and besides, they need as many uneducated inner city kids as they can, so they can simply tell them who to vote for. Can't have people moving off the Dem plantation, it might mess with their fight to turn the U.S. into a full blown Communist country.
A teacher centric industry. Not an outcomes based model at all. Soon we will have to import immigrants with an education instead of hiring locals that can't read or do math.
Little Missy, unions aren't the problem in Public Education. Lack of parental involvement and class size are moe of a problem then unions. Also what the heck is a "Indoctrination Warehouse Complex". That sounds a lot like a madrassa are a private catholic school.
more of a problem.
Schools are little more than liberal madrasas now and have little to do with educating and more to do with producing politically beholden robots.
I don't want kids spending 12 hour days 7 days a week in Obama's indoctrination system
One pack of parasitic hacks supporting another. It almost makes me wish the country really would go bankrupt. Just so I could pop open a cold one and enjoy the carnage when they cannabalize one another.
Add to that, end federal subsidies to universities.
Olson "feels sorry" for Marxist, Socialist, Communist Obama???
What a bunch of bullshit.
Its their Communist Manifesto that have the schools in this condition.
For the teachers that do care and make that second effort to teach our children, Thank you so much, I know you are out there.
To those that would stand in the way of the of the aforementioned educators, to hell with you and your de-education camp mentality.
"Liberalism always generates the exact opposite of its stated intent"
Jim Quinn (The War Room)
No thank you, we've had quite enough.
The "free market of ideas" is becoming less and less free with every new intrusion of unions into government and into our lives.
Public schools are just liberal madrassas masquerading as centers of education and public universities are the final stage of social engineering and indoctrination in a child's development.
I agree, end the subsidies.
There is a button marked "reply" below each post.
Parental involvement is a much more in depth and about impossible to legislate (nor should it be legislated) problem than Unions. The government has let Unions impact the decisions and economics of schools, business and government far too much, and it has the ability to roll them back, but won't due to campaign dollars and political pressure.
Parental involvement problems stem from about 20 different issues and while you're right that it is the #1 factor, there is a very important #2 factor that can be easily addressed and should be.
But…but.. without unions, teachers would be working in conditions reminiscient of the dark ages! You know! Five days a week, eight or nine hour days! And (the horror) twelve months a year!
I agree. Lack of parental involvement is a serious problem. However the federal government has made education to their specification mandatory and they think they have the answers to a good education and they don't. The federal government should repeal the Department of Education and let the tax payer of each state decide what kind of teachers or schools they are going to have. Everything the Feds put their fingers in turns to crap. Now, Marrob37Troll get yourself a little more kool-aid, I would hate for you to dehydrate on our watch.
Education reform is hogwash. As a resident of TN, one of the 2 "Race To The Top" states I can say first hand it is going to fail. For instance, all honors and AP programs have to be eliminated in order to comply. All "performance" segregation must be removed from the classroom. Does this sound familiar? Lower the higher performers in order to raise the lower performers? They should rename this program Race to the Basement.
Unionized educators are in hot pursuit of mediocrity,,,,at best.
Meritocracy and pay for performance are not only alien to Union thought processes they are antithetical.
As has been said above and many other times on this thread: END PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS, they are an abomination to the theory, practice and moral virtue of what unions originally stood for.
When the rank and file OWN their employer there is no such thing as negotiations,,,,only demands that are met.
Pay raises and benfit packages for public employee unions need to become ballot issues and not left to the discretion of the bought and paid for politicians.
Nothing new , no surprise…Keep moving…."Teet" sucking selfish adults, "educating" a never ending supply of drone-like, democrat voting, "children of the trough", kids, most of whom, will be pretty much unemployable, assuring the continuation of the urban downward spiral.
Missy I think you have called out by marrob37. I agree you what you are saying about removing the govt from education system all together, they have pushed the idea of being dependent on the govt every generation and it needs to stop for our country to return to greatness.
Poor pathetic marrob, standing in the corner mumbling to himself and eating handfuls of his own feces…
Very sad little boy.
I agree that parents need to be involved with their children education but teachers that are being protected by tenure that are not doing their jobs of educating our children need to be removed and not protected by the unions.
He called himself out when he came in to knock heads with the adults.
He's just mumbling and eating his own feces in the corner.
Thumb, ignore and walk away.
Thank god for Texas and their school board standing firm against further liberal re-writing of history.
LOL
Holly
Unions are to good, efficient schools as Dimocrats are to honest, effective government…
What Obama wants to supposedly do is just ineffective, window dressing…Vouchers are the answer with charter schools a decent alternative…
Unions must be cut off at the knees..
Off Topic………………
Beck just said Fed Gov't is no longer required to honor FoI (freedom of information) requests, as of
passage of the Financial Reform Act. Whadaya think about them apples?????
.
"A quality education has been called – rightly so – the civil rights issue of the 21st Century."
Sorry, disagree. And please, not another 'civil right'. It's a parent/child issue. Quality education is a family issue. And a matter of personal responsibility. Funny how many world class statesmen, scientists, businessmen, engineers and yes, even teachers America produced, all without the interference of the federal government or Carter's fiasco, the DOE.
Don't get me wrong, public education isn't entirely at fault. A student can still excel based on what they themselves bring to the system. OTW, completely agree with Missy8s post. Shut down the unions, the DOE and bring it back to the local level.
What a terrific name for the head of the Marxist NAACP "Jealous".
After all,it is envy of the wealth of others that drives leftists to design the confiscatory programs that they do.
Like your avi.
Yes Missy is right, and she has been called out by the troll, but they have been trained to sidetrack US. I try not to feed them. I just click them down and move on to talk with REAL Americans.
Unions need to be disbanded. They are dangerous socialists, in it for the money and power, not the people.
Unions ARE THE PROBLEM with public education! Ever hear that in Pennsylvania, teachers receive up to 35 days off a year to work for their union–with full pay–in addition to vacation and sick time? Talk about a conflict of interest–and taxpayers are paying for it. How many other states allow this? Unions do not belong in our school system!
Unions function like socialist businesses, that are more interested in money and power than the people. They won't go away easiy. Their tentacles are vast, but we must disband them for the goal of a free America again.
That's the essence of socialism. Make everyone equal, even if it's equally miserable.
It's not the entire Federal government, but the Security and Exchange Commision (SEC) which is being given MASSIVE new economic powers as part of the "Finance Reform" law.
Massive control + zero transparency = Hope and Change
What's really amazing is most if not all of you who post on this site are products of the public school system. And if you have a college education you probably used the government (i.e. Financial Aid) to help finance for your college education. So now that "you've got yours" you want to look back and bash the very system that helped you get to where you are today. Interesteing, real interesting.
Obama denied vouchers in DC , Duncan wants long term care for kids and why would anyone listen to someone named Ben Jealous…
Yet another reason Americans are turning their collective backs on organized labor. These organizations are nothing more than glamorized gangs and the people are rightly shunning them. As their ranks further dwindle, listen to their increasingly loud cries for relevance. Disgusting.
Holly, I actually agree with some of what you've wrote here. What I would like to know is this, what would a good curriculum look like in our public school system if you have you way? Do you think our school system teaches children to be critical thinkers or rote learners? Why, if you school system sucks so bad do people come here from around the globe to attent our colleges and univesities? So I take it you totally disagree with Texas and what they're trying to do with our school books? One last comment. What do you mean when you say "the federal government has made education to their specification"? Give me some example if you can. Am going to drink little more of my kool-aid while I wait for your reply.
An individual is a MINORITY, those that take away the rights of the individual can not be a defender of Minorities! Ayn Rand!
John,
I ran into some very interesting videos on youtube, interviews with ummm James Dodd? Really good stuff from a very credible guy. You might be interested especially in his insider information about how many years ago the Rockefeller Foundation and other "private charities" according to him conspired to skew the message taught at prestigious universities….skew that message in favor of their own political philosophy…even going so far as to try to influence gov't that war was an "economic" strategy, whether we engage or not, and for how long. Just so really ugly stuff.
Anyway I sent these links to the Bigs and will include them here. Some are pretty slow going because the gentleman was quite old at the time….but he's been privy to the upper levels of policy, banking, economic, and educational for decades and so they are worth the time. Real eye opener. For me anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUYCBfmIcHM&fe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaR9FKDnZKE&fe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDyDtYy2I0M&fe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&fe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Mazjm_A5k&fe...
If you elect me President .. Pensions and UNIONS woould be banned from any and every Governmennt worker including the President… Your here to work for the people then go home and continue on with your life on your own dime !!!
I mean really… you make $400,000 for four years.. You get most of everything paid for .. If you cannot save enough back to help you get over leaving office then you shoud have never been there in the first place.
I know, I know .. it's that common sense thing again ….
I actually agree with that to a point. But keep in mind that the majority of techers given tenure are granted it because they are the best at what they do and the district doesn't want to lose them to a higher paying school dostricts. Teachers should be given the opportunity to get up to speed before they are shown the door. If tenture is given by the district then they most uphold their end of the agreement.
Absolutely correct. The states should be regulating education through their legislatures. If we look back to the forties and fifties, our public schools turned out some fairly accomplished students who could read, write, do basic math, and communicate a coherent thought. They were the later scientists and engineers who working with slide rule and pencil put man on the moon.
Public education today seems to be a grist mill to just pump the kids through without any concern for the future of the country. Ask a high school grad today how to count change or verbalize a concept without using "Ya know" multiple times. Remember the college student in CA attempting to ask a question. She could not even organize her thoughts to phrase the question.
Our entire educational system is a sham due to the government bureaucracy involvement. Of course there are exceptions. There always are. Probability theory indicates that somewhere there are public schools that have raised the bar and actually have graduates who can perform well in society.
Yes, get rid of the DOE and return education to the states where they can better regulate quality rather than quantity.
Of course they do.Like the anti-american communist ruling class media, the NAACP cares only about anyone who perpetuates hate towards America and the NEA certainly qualifies. Im wondering if at the next NEA convention any of there speakers will discuss whats best for the children(I doubt it). They will however, discuss how to rip the taxpayer off with failin g schools, indoctrinate them with failed Marxist ideology and teach them that Islam is all great and good and the evil, terrible West is the problem. Until they run out of other peoples money that is.
Instead of Ben, his first name should be Insanely.
"Public" education went south as soon as unions got involved and now they are entrenched in every budgetary concern of the country.
Roads, emergency services, plane tickets, US Mail and schools all cost more because of their control over the budgetary process and EVERY POLITICIAN is guilty of kneeling to their demands.
Get rid of the political cowards that enable these communist scum bags with ever larger contracts and giveaways in the name of beholden constituencies.
Someone should bring this matter up with say, Judicial Watch or ACLJ, Jay Sekulows group. They tend to watch for things like that.
I can see your a fan of Quinn and Rose also.What a pair of great Americans.
Im sure youd know all about Madrasses , idiot. After all, its likely one of the places they "taught" you how to hate, they do such a wonderful job of it. Hate youself too, fool?
If I didn't misunderstand it damn sure applies to Fannie and Freddie, where mucho corruption
is hidden. Those two institutions had had the 'excuse' of being "in transition" and were therefor
allowed to delay foi's for some time. IMO a delaying tactic until this legislation could be passed
within one of these gargantuan bills to which we have become so accustomed.
Well, if these kids learn to read they may end up in nonunion jobs and/or escape black slave dogma. That wouldn't be good.
Oh, that's no big deal. It's actually just the SEC (securities and exchange commission) that no longer has to disclose anything they do to the public.
Oh wait. Yeah, that's really bad.
They are great American for sure.
With all sincerity, I don't :Hate" people on the "Right" because when it comes down to it we're all on the same team, the american team. The problem is our economic, poilitical and social positions are miles apart. Your philosophy is screwed up and NEVER seems to work and we have proof that ours do.
How is that Kool-Aid anyway? I've always just said no to it. I disagree with any kind of public school. I think the public school should be abolished and one parent should be made to home school their children or if that is not possible then a local funded school that teaches children reading, writing, math, geography and science that is proven (not theory like evolution or global warming), basic economics, history and actually both male and female should have home-ec. There is no reason why children have to be made to participate in swimming in a phy ed class or social studies classes that make assumptions on political correctness. We survived a very long time without PC and it has not proved to improve out living conditions at all. Individual culture studies tend to divide the nation rather than teaching one Nation and we are all Americans. Not sure if you noticed but the children are not getting educated to the degree those children in other nations are. The children in a 3rd world nation such as Mexico get a better primary school education. In the US the union's needs and the need to be PC and the need to be 'fair' makes most of our schools worthless. However I agree that children whose parents support them do far better even under the worst of circumstances.
The Department of Education puts requirements on the schools that have to be met to get funding. My children have been out of school since 2004 so I am not familiar with the most current requirements, but I have no doubt you can google "what requirements does a public school have to follow to receive federal funding". I am not your encyclopedia nor am I your googler
Obama is a window dressing. I have no use for public schools and no use for unions. I would start with repealing the Department of Education and give more control to the local school district. Vouchers are a good idea but again it's still our tax money
Tenure has nothing to do with the best teachers and everything to do with keeping the union coffers full.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,18...
The issue being discussed is the K-12 public education system, not college. This should be a state issue and not under the control of the feds.
Smaller class sized are not the issue – http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-02/uo...
Getting back to teaching critical thinking skills and away from social engineering is the answer. Leave the social issues (i.e. Billy has 2 Daddies, global warming, ethnic centric studies) to the parents. Schools need to prepare childern to excel not feel good about themselves.
My first sentence was directed at K-12. I just threw in the college part because we have state colleges and who people go there use government money to help pay for it. And more that likely some of those people are posting here bashing the government.
Evidently I should have quoted Mr Bite-me, "This is a big f___in deal".
Makes me curious about this crowd I'm running with here at BG, JK144
Without FOI's we won't be able to dig out the corruption that has occurred or send the crooks to jail.
Spose we can always fall back on the appointment of 'Special Prosecutors', to investigate corruption
in Gov't, cough, cough, that's a joke son!. Wthout the new media and citizens at large being able to
wade through the reams of crappola spat out by the Fed Gov't's various depts we're flying blind, IMO.
You're right about the "Critical Thinking" part but the rest is BS.
So tenure does not automatic kick in after being a teacher at a certain for a set period of time?
So if you have ever used anything provided by the government you are not allowed to criticize? You lefties love a straw man argument. So tell me how much the schools have improved since being taken over by the government. Oh wait, I was in the military and used the GI Bill to buy my house. That means I can never criticize the government. Great logic once again marrob37!
As for the smaller class size, it totally works and that part of the reason partent opt to send their kids to private schools. More attention due to smaller class sizes!!!
Refute it then!! Did you even read the article? Tell me how it is BS.
Read the article genius. Smaller class sizes does not narrow the gap between low and high achievers. It is a means for more teachers to be hired so the union can collect more dues and influence more elections. You really need a reality check! By the way, what color is the sky in your world?
Can you please explain how the rest is BS. Besides, since when was it the schools job to teach students about Billy has 2 Daddies, globals warming, and ethnic centric studies.
The schools should be teaching, reading, writings, mathmatics, basic sciences, history(original documents), and allow the students to think for themselves. As opposed to forcing them about global warming, and other over politizied issues.
I'm a product of the public school system from over 25 years ago. I have since watched it's sad, steady decline. It is MUCH WORSE now than it was when I was in school. This generation of teachers is by far the highest paid and have the best benefits of any generation, yet they are failing our children and our society will pay (it is already with failures such as Obama's election – only an idiot would have voted for him). When you have teachers that virtually cannot be fired and are paid to sit in break rooms when complaints are filed against them (for example), you have a system that is truly defective.
Even though that those on the right are far from perfect, those on the left are even further behind. It has been proven time and again that the far left has ruined this country. Going back to atleast Wilson and the first depression he caused and segregation of our military. Then there was the depression caused by the creation of the Fed. Not to mention, it was the progressive left that help build the German communist before WWII.
The list just goes on, those are just the obvious examples to how the left has screwed up, what are yours for the right?
I would like to see his list as well. Every grand social experiment in history, socialism, communism, fascism, progressivism, etc., while maybe successful for the elites, has been a grand failure from a human rights and general prosperity standpoint. Even the old school hardcore commies are going slowly but surely towards a free market system.
So marrob, whenever you have the FULL LIST, please present it. Don't worry, I'll wait!
I don't know about other states but in Louisiana, if you make it through the first 2 years, you're in there. I know of quite a few that aren't worth knocking in the head and they can't run them off for love or money. Just keep shuffling them around in the system until they finally retire. And who suffers because of it, the kids.
Tell me how that helps the system. Like wohlfguy said, it has absolutely nothing to do with qualifications, it's time served.
The kool-aid is great as always.
~One parent in charge should be made to home school their children? Who's going to make them?
The government?
~ "Local funded schools that teach reading, writing, math, the sciences, economis history and home-ec." That's our public school system. Part of my propert tax go to fund the local schools. How does it work where you live?
~You know there is a reason why kids from other countries are so far ahead of american children. THEY STUDY DIFFERENT CULTURES AND LAUNGAGES!!!
~I agree, some schools are failing and if you've been paying attention you have have noticed that the Obama administration is going after them. Some right there in Washington DC.
~haaaaaaaaa "No Child Left Behind"? AM glad you disagree with it because all the teachers are doing is teaching to test. They're not producing critical thinkers. That's what this country needs, critical thinkers and not rote leaners (i.e. Robots)
~ I never asked you to be my googler or some sort of a "Ready refernce"/ I just asked your opinion.
The left will always project the things that scare them the most. In this case, apart from the phony fear they show over "losing their seats," (they've ALL got big golden parachutes) they're already warning in their campaign materials what really scares them, that if the Republicans win control of the House, they will launch an "endless stream" of congressional investigations against democrat operations.
Here's their Achilles heel. They can only hide their corruption and malfeasance as long as they maintain their majority in the House. Otherwise they KNOW, the busiest office in all of Congress is going to be Darryl Issa's, as he has already announced he WILL be coming after the dirty players and their dirty deals. The law may protect the SEC from foi requests, but it will not protect them from Issa and a Republican controlled Congress.
As proof of that, the British healthcare system could very well become privatized once again, since the centralized government controlled version of it has utterly failed. Yet, we have a czar who wants us to be like Britin and now they dont even want their own system anymore.
On top of that, even some of the uber progressives now are learning and notice the stigma that comes along with it. Even Hillary Clinton a modern progressive she called herself during the 08 presidentcy and even not long, is now holding back calling herself progressive anything at all.
Although as a list the right has done wrong, is most likely far shorter of a list than the long x-mas list of wrong the left has done. Since they also include trying to filibuster the Civil Rights act, supporting the KKK, and so on. It doesnt take one long to realize why those on the left want to change our history so badly, since its the only way the left can cover up their wrongs and blame it on some one else.
You read this straight from the very people affected by smaller class size..the parents ?http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_momsatwork/2010/03/smaller-class-size-does-it-make-a-difference.html
The link does not work, but again, did you read the article I posted? If no, then please do and then tell me how his methods are wrong.
If your link came from parents, what type of statistical analysis did they use?
The US throws more money per student at K-12 education than almost any other nation in the world – and gets less for their money.
13% of Americans are unionized, while 70% of teachers are union.
Having several kids who have gone through public education, I have found nothing but obstruction coming from teachers' unions. They protect awful teachers and continually work not to improve education but to make their own lives easier.
Our school district has cut PE for grade school to ONE day a week, Art one day a week for a semester and Music one day a week for a semester. They have cut the school day down by 30 minutes, and now we have a special class once a week for "family time". CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?! I kid you not, so that the well adjusted kids can "mentor" the "ones that need help". I don't think we should pay a teacher and then have my kid teach another kid anything. Isn't that what recess is for-socialization (pun intended) ? ! I'm saddened that their are children who don't have "good" parents but for Gods sake lets just tie another cinder block on my kid! I'm mad as hell…
They used the progress of the children. Sorry about the link but is was from the Orlando Sentinel in Florida. She notice that in course with 13-15 student her child did really well and in courses with a higher number of student he didn't fair to well. Now, due to budget issue Florida is lookig at increasing class size and the parents are pissed about it.
IMHO, unions have no place whatsoever in education. Why? Because most if not all teachers received their education through taxpayer funded universities, and are licensed through state agencies that are taxpayer funded. Then once hired and unionized, teachers unions ironically gain their wages and benefits by negotiating with taxpayer paid administrators. Throughout the whole process, the taxpayers just keep getting sucker punched, and add, thru more irony, can't fire a sh*tty teacher! GRRRRrrrrr
The end result of this education policy is this–only political leaders and union leaders that can read,write,and do simple math will be in charge of the country, and will have attended private schools that were not politically motivated or unionized….The current so-called leaders are just passing policies that ensure their own destruction.
You mean the "blank check" political slush fund entities….How is it that taxpaying US citizens are allowing these things to go on!!??
Maj. Gen.Jerry R Curry (Ret.) Speaks Out On The Obama Eligibility Issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO8n4Pij158
Obama wants to brag about civil rights? No way. Black kids in the hood can't get vouchers and stuck in the rut of bad schools. They are slaves in bad schools.
Then homeschool your kids. Ever think of that one?
Dear Mr. Breitbart:
I was discharged by the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD)—a federally-funded agency—in 2006 after prevailing in a racial discrimination complaint in front of the California State Personnel Board (SPB) in 2005 (SPB Case No. 03-1420A). My complaint challenged foreign language requirements (Spanish and Tagalog) imposed on a set of position conversions from part-time to full-time. According to both year 2000 census data and Department call center records, the Spanish requirement, for instance, excluded 94 percent of African-Americans and 82 percent of Caucasians between the ages of 18-64 residing in California. The Tagalog requirement excluded 99.9 percent of every race between the ages of 18-64 residing in California. When obliged to produce a stringent business need for these foreign language requirements, the federally funded EDD was unable to do so.
A simple check of the EDD’s hiring practices will reveal that it has been imposing similar foreign language requirements on a vast array of positions over a period of decades. This practice has adversely affected tens of thousands of African American and Caucasian applicants across the entire state and possibly nationwide. In essence, this amounts to racial discrimination on a mass scale. The discriminatory foreign language requirements would even exclude President Obama from hiring consideration. The SPB strongly rebuked the EDD in my case. Despite that, the EDD has literally “thumbed its nose” at the SPB and continues to this day to impose foreign language requirements without a stringent business need. At my hearing in front of the SPB in Los Angeles, one of the Board members expressed great concern about the potential of the unsupported foreign language requirements to bring about a class action lawsuit. Given the scope of the problem, combined with the refusal of the federal administration or State to correct the situation, class action remains a very real possibility even today.
Approximately 19 months after my successful racial discrimination complaint, the federally-funded EDD fired me, citing alleged irregularities on my employment application that I signed under penalty of perjury roughly ten years ago. The case is now being litigated in civil court. I believe the evidence will ultimately demonstrate retaliation by the State in reaction to my exposure of their racial discrimination on a mass scale.
Interestingly, the person who fired me was Unemployment Insurance Deputy Director Deborah Bronow. Considering that my former position, Employment Program Representative, is an entry-level step into the Department, it is highly unusual for an official in the highest echelon of an organization with roughly 10,000 employees to execute such a termination. Yet, this is exactly what she testified to doing. Moreover, she testified that she did not conduct a thorough investigation of my prior employment. In addition, she neither interviewed me about the allegations nor did she check with the parties who vetted me at the point of hire. Considering Ms. Bronow’s prestigious position in the Department, my case has statewide, if not federal, implications.
During this process I contacted the NAACP, both at the national level and in Los Angeles, in order to share with them what I knew about federally funded EDD’s program of racial discrimination. Given the magnitude of the disparate impact against Caucasians and especially against African Americans, I thought the NAACP would enthusiastically welcome the evidence I possess. Both regionally and nationally, this organization refused to contact me to obtain my corroborated and authenticated evidence. I also contacted the offices of Rev. Jessie Jackson and Louis Farrakhan, but to no avail. The racial discrimination against African Americans and Caucasians in California still goes unabated on a mass scale today. The Service Employees International Union, the organization representing State of California government employees, was notified as well, but took no action either.
I was emboldened to write this letter to you in the wake of the controversy that recently arose in reference to USDA employee Shirley Sherrod. My experience supports your position that the NAACP, and other like organizations, condone racist behavior and turn a “blind eye” toward public policies and practices that promote racial discrimination in the workplace. Instead of expressing outrage, the NAACP chose to do nothing when confronted with facts that showed that 94% of African Americans were being excluded from employment consideration due to unsubstantiated foreign language requirements.
I have paid a high price for opposing illegal racial discrimination within a federally-funded state agency and it is my hope that you will find my story compelling.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Gary Whaley
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