On Friday, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Bidden appeared at the 2021 National Education Association Annual Meeting, where they made remarks.
President Biden quipped that he had to support the NEA because his wife is a teacher. "And again, I’m not saying this because of something Jill — you know, I would — the truth: If I didn’t support the NEA, I’d be sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom alone. But — and that’s not where we sleep. We don’t sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom. I'd be sent down to it," he said, having to explain and thus ruin the joke.
We all know, though, that teachers unions support Democrats. A September 29 OpenSecrets.org article from Eliana Miller noted that "Educators set donation records, back Biden over Trump nearly 6-1."
As Fox News' Morgan Phillips mentioned in her reporting of the remarks:
President Biden said Friday that the National Education Association, among the very most generous donors to his campaign and liberal causes, is "one of America’s indispensable organizations."
Biden's campaign raked in just over $232,000 from teachers unions during the 2020 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics' "Open Secrets" website. The site says the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) "account for practically all" political spending from teachers unions.
Biden also called on teachers getting a raise through his budget, and even claimed parents would agree with him:
And one of the first things that funding will be used for is to help educators in those schools get the raises they deserve and the resources they need.
And, by the way, if I’d note, this isn’t just — it’s not that I’m trying to be nice. This is absolutely necessary — necessary if we’re going to compete in the 21st century. Think about it: The idea that we have a large portion of our student population living in ZIP codes where they cannot afford the kind of education and can’t pay the teachers enough in those schools to educate them, it makes no sense. The people that are going to benefit the most from this is corporate America and businesses because they’re going to have a better-educated public, better-educated students.
Your union and teachers’ protests across the country made it clear that you deserve more than praise. You deserve a raise, not just praise. (Applause.)
And, folks, every parent in this country who spent the last year helping educate their children at home understand you deserve a raise. (Applause.) They figured it out. (Applause.) No, I’m serious. Think about it. Think about it. It was the ultimate education of the public going through this pandemic.
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There were concerns which President Biden highlighted, such as high speed internet connection and competitiveness, which, to be fair, indeed ought to be bipartisan. These issues are not helped by the teachers unions, though, and now the president wants to give them a raise.
Namely, the teachers unions insisted on teachers being at the front of the line for the vaccine, and then the still refused to return to the classroom for in-person instruction, as Guy reported, and he's followed how they've dragged their feet all along the way since then.
As Katie reported just yesterday, teachers unions are hinting that they still might not be fully on board with returning to in-person instruction.
Biden himself addressed the teachers getting vaccinated, though he missed a ginormous opportunity to tell them that this means they are ought of excuses when it comes to reasons for not doing their job:
That’s why I made it a priority to get educators vaccinated and reopen schools as quickly as possible. Nationwide, 84 percent of K-through-12 educators and school staff are fully vaccinated, and they were by the end of May. Even more have gotten the vaccination since — the vaccine since.
Dr. Jill Biden also spoke at the summit, with NEA President Becky Pringle all too happy to highlight the first lady's connection.
Nothing quite like introducing an NEA member who also happens to be the First Lady of the United States at #NEARA21! Thank you @POTUS and @FLOTUS for addressing our delegation today. pic.twitter.com/dAHGATotqx
— Becky Pringle (@BeckyPringle) July 2, 2021
"You carried families through the darkest year in modern history with patience, compassion, and care. With all of my heart and on behalf of millions of students and families, thank you for being the heroes we needed." –@FLOTUS #NEARA21 pic.twitter.com/vjmFEGy33o
— NEA (@NEAToday) July 2, 2021
The teachers union coverage Townhall provided paints a far different picture than the one painted by the Bidens in their remarks. Matt has a tragic but helpful piece here on the reality many students faced while teachers taught over Zoom. If you want to hear something truly tragic, Matt also did a piece just a few weeks ago about the surge in teen suicide. The president made no mention of these students, though.
The remarks can't entirely be surprising though, sadly. The president does have to cater to his donors after all.
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