Educators — and the heads of the country’s largest teachers unions, too — were in Washington, D.C., Wednesday to testify before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions regarding the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA.
Lily Eskelsen García, president of the National Education Association, called ESSA a “major course correction from the stifling federal overreach of No Child Left Behind.” In case you missed that, look again: the NEA’s president used the words “stifling federal overreach,” even if she did have to reach back to the Bush administration for the opportunity.
Speaking of overreach:
Dear Senators: These civics, history & social studies teachers have a reminder about the Constitution #DoYourJob https://t.co/h4qOB9TTpk
— NEA (@NEAToday) April 26, 2016
Teachers have had another concern on their minds for a while, though, which they expressed Tuesday via a press conference and continued Wednesday in a meeting with White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett.
https://twitter.com/WeNeedNine/status/732575853276712960
What’s not happening? A Senate confirmation vote on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, that’s what. And even though there’s no constitutional reason for it, the Senate remains unmoved by the administration’s #DoYourJob hashtag campaign. How can they get away with defying the Constitution like that? Won’t someone think of the children?
It's the anniversary of Brown vs. Board. What #SCOTUS does impacts our students #WeNeedNine https://t.co/54Bnme0CR8 pic.twitter.com/WeZzJdOBrg
— Lily Eskelsen García (@Lily_NEA) May 17, 2016
Tell the Senate: #DoYourJob and take action on Judge Garland's nomination! https://t.co/iOtxh32Fz0 pic.twitter.com/Bggwftz7P6
— NEA Education Votes (@edvotes) May 18, 2016
Civics teachers continued the push for a confirmation vote Wednesday.
Great meeting w/civic educators on the importance of SCOTUS. Thanks for all you do for your students & our country! pic.twitter.com/2Egv7x9SDJ
— Valerie Jarrett (@vj44) May 18, 2016
Civics teachers at @POTUS @WhiteHouse after meeting with @vj44 to demand senate #DoYourJob pic.twitter.com/hlbLO0eZpc
— NEA Public Relations (@NEAMedia) May 18, 2016
It’s a shame that teachers have to go to these lengths again after having lobbied so hard on behalf of Justice Samuel Alito just 10 years ago.
Thank you @vj44 for meeting with civics teachers to talk about importance of Supreme Court in our lives. #DoYourJob pic.twitter.com/ZwVUUeLO1o
— NEA Public Relations (@NEAMedia) May 18, 2016
Is the Biden Rule part of the civics curriculum? Unfortunately, the vice president was in Ohio today and wasn’t available to take questions about it.
Nine civic teachers talk about why #WeNeedNine for #SCOTUS at @WhiteHouse with @vj44 @PAniskoff44 #DoYourJob pic.twitter.com/G0LwtNa98B
— Mary Kusler (@Mkusler) May 18, 2016
Related:
‘Sure he does. Now.’ Obama regrets Alito filibuster
President Obama disagrees with Sen. Obama, says SCOTUS nomination is ‘beyond politics’
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