By: Mark Glennon*
Most of you probably think kids should be taught that somebody’s death is no time to insult them, even an enemy. Not the Illinois Education Association, evidently.
Yesterday came news that an outspoken critic of teachers’ unions and public education, Jack Roeser, died. The IEA took that as an opportunity to tweet a link to its earlier article about him that says “he’s unencumbered by any feelings for children who attend public schools” and likened him to Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.
The tweet is below:
Anti public education activist Jack Roeser died today. A 2010 blog post on Roeser and IEA: http://www.ieanea.org/2014/06/13/do-you-wish-to-be-defined-by-this-man/ …
Since nobody died recently at the IEA who I know of, let me say this clearly: Nothing does more to disgrace the noble profession of teaching and the institution of public education (that I happen to believe in) more than the IEA and teachers’ unions in Illinois.
*Mark Glennon is founder of WirePoints
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.