Alteration to NEA Gay Marriage Resolution in Works
The proposed amendment to NEA Resolution B-8, which would place the union in support of gay marriage and adoption, is undergoing an amendment of its own, suggested by the union's Resolutions Committee.
The amendment to Resolution B-8, Diversity, sponsored by NEA's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Caucus elicited a swift campaign of denunciation from the conservative American Family Association, and evidently NEA's e-mail servers have been groaning under the weight of electronic protests.
Under the new arrangement, the GLBT amendment would be dropped, and new language would be inserted into Resolution B10-Racism, Sexism, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identification Discrimination.
The new amendment would read:
"The Association also believes that these factors should not affect the legal rights and obligations of the partners in a legally-recognized domestic partnership, civil union, or marriage in regard to matters involving the other partner, such as medical decisions, taxes, inheritance, adoption, and immigration."
The new language will be debated and voted upon by the Resolutions Committee at its June 29 hearing and, whatever its decision, the issue will undoubtedly rise again at the June 30 open hearing on resolutions, which can be attended by any interested delegate. So far, EIA has heard nothing of what the GLBT Caucus thinks of this alteration.
In a communication to state affiliate leaders, NEA President Reg Weaver wrote: "While I understand that the e-mails and phone calls you are receiving are generating concern, we must not allow the tactics and manipulations of these divisive groups to derail our process. NEA has no position on same-sex marriages, and leadership is not seeking to establish such a position."
The amendment to Resolution B-8, Diversity, sponsored by NEA's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Caucus elicited a swift campaign of denunciation from the conservative American Family Association, and evidently NEA's e-mail servers have been groaning under the weight of electronic protests.
Under the new arrangement, the GLBT amendment would be dropped, and new language would be inserted into Resolution B10-Racism, Sexism, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identification Discrimination.
The new amendment would read:
"The Association also believes that these factors should not affect the legal rights and obligations of the partners in a legally-recognized domestic partnership, civil union, or marriage in regard to matters involving the other partner, such as medical decisions, taxes, inheritance, adoption, and immigration."
The new language will be debated and voted upon by the Resolutions Committee at its June 29 hearing and, whatever its decision, the issue will undoubtedly rise again at the June 30 open hearing on resolutions, which can be attended by any interested delegate. So far, EIA has heard nothing of what the GLBT Caucus thinks of this alteration.
In a communication to state affiliate leaders, NEA President Reg Weaver wrote: "While I understand that the e-mails and phone calls you are receiving are generating concern, we must not allow the tactics and manipulations of these divisive groups to derail our process. NEA has no position on same-sex marriages, and leadership is not seeking to establish such a position."
My wife is actually at this conference and she called me about this and told me about it after. This comment from Weaver seems to be a good one. Gay marriage has nothing to do with education, and therefore the NEA SHOULDN'T have an official position one way or the other. Unfortunately she is being groomed for bigger roles within the Texas State Teachers Association and NEA, so I'm afraid she may be drinking the Kool-Aid a little too readily. She said Weaver told the group that he doesn't even want to discuss the issue and it will only be opened for debate and a vote if it's demanded, otherwise he said they'll just approve it without a vote. However I'd be interested in following up and see what actually got "approved" afterwards.
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June 29, 2006 12:50 PM
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