Intercepts
A listening post monitoring public education and teachers’ unions.

Not Scott Walker. Jerry Brown.

One would think the National Education Association has its hands full these days, but the union still has time to weigh in on the intricacies of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010.

Enacted during Democratic control of Congress, the law, among many other things, capped debit card “swipe fees” at 12 cents per transaction, which was a huge reduction from the average. The financial services industry naturally opposes the caps, which reduces its profits.

The NAACP asked that the fee cap be delayed for one or two years, while a study is done to determine if banks will cut back services in response. The civil rights organization says it is concerned that such reductions may adversely affect the poor and minority groups. Now NEA is also lobbying for the delay, sending a letter to Congressional leaders warning of the cap’s “unintended consumer impacts.”

This isn’t sitting too well with some liberals. David Dayen at Firedoglake calls NEA’s stance “corrupt” and “about self-interest, too.” NEA has a business relationship with Bank of America but does not offer debit cards.

Click here to read:

1) “We Are at War” – NEA’s Plan of Attack

2) Last Week’s Intercepts

3) Quote of the Week

Note from EIA to e-mail subscribers: I’ve been sending the communique’ as a bulk e-mail to subscribers for nigh on 14 years. For the last few years, however, it has been more and more difficult to overcome host e-mail strictures and increasingly sensitive spam filters. I’m trying to get as many of you as possible to subscribe to the RSS feed – even through e-mail (top of left sidebar) – to avoid these delivery problems.

Today was especially bad in that regard. I’m open to suggestions as to how best to disseminate this material to you, but we both have to prepare for the fact that bulk e-mail is less and less a viable option.

Naturally, I don’t want to lose a single reader, so if you have a preferred alternative means of receiving EIA news, now is the time to try it out.

Since you are ready to make some sacrifices, so am I. I’ve avoided Facebook and Twitter this long, and for good reason, but if that’s the only other way, we’ll give it a go. I’m eager to hear your thoughts. Thanks for listening.

Hartford Courant‘s Rick Green reports “AFT Connecticut is supporting a reform package that would accelerate creation of better teacher evaluation standards. The Connecticut Education Association is opposing it.”

I’m afraid nothing I’m able to put into words will properly convey my feelings about this event, and the story about the event, so I’ll just direct you to this article by Matthew Rothschild in The Progressive headlined, “Wisconsin Teacher in Apparent Suicide, ‘Distraught’ Over Walker’s Cuts.”

The Green Bay Education Association is urging its members, “When paying with a check or credit card, write on the check or receipt – Union paid or Paid by a union member.”

This is an awesome plan. Its aim is to educate the private sector about how much money it receives from public sector unions. However, it’s only half the picture. Let’s educate the public sector unions about how much money they receive from the private sector.

How about on each public employee paycheck we stick a photo of a Wisconsin family of four, along with their 2011 tax burden?

On pension checks, we could post a baby photo, and details of how much debt that baby already owes.

Better yet, when you mail in your tax return, instead of a check enclose some pixie dust or magic beans, since it seems to be the prevailing view of where the money comes from.

Someone sent an e-mail to Indiana’s school superintendents and principals containing a memo purporting to be from state Superintendent for Public Instruction Tony Bennett. The subject was “Response to Teachers’ Protests” and begins:

On Thursday, March 10, the Indiana Department of Education decided to make the decision to begin to listen to the thousands of teachers who have voiced their concerns over collective bargaining limitations, voucher programs, and evaluations based on merit-pay rather than seniority.

It turns out the memo didn’t come from Bennett or the department, but from some unknown prankster.

The memo was suspicious because it constituted a reversal of the state DOE’s previous positions. But it should have been suspicious based on the way it was written. “Decided to make the decision?” “Evaluations based on merit-pay rather than seniority?”

Though the memo mirrors union talking points, the Indiana State Teachers Association denied any involvement.

The memo is reminiscent of the phony Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel news story of a couple of months ago.

I’ve been able to determine the e-mail address from which the memo was sent. I sent an e-mail to that address about an hour ago and it hasn’t (yet) bounced back, suggesting the account is still active. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.