A-8. Public School Buildings. The Association believes that closedpublic school buildings should be sold or leased only to thoseorganizations that do not provide direct educational services tostudents and/or are not in direct competition with public schools.
A-11. Federal Financial Support for Education. The Associationasserts that a major federal role is to collect basic data to beused in public schools and to engage in research, development, andconsultation activities. The Association further believes thatfunding for federal programs should be substantially increased.
A-13. Basic Financial Support of Public Education. Funds must beprovided for programs to alleviate race, gender, and sexualorientation discrimination and to eliminate portrayal of race,gender, and sexual orientation stereotypes in the public schools.
A-27. Deleterious Programs. The National Education Associationbelieves that the following programs and practices are detrimentalto public education and must be eliminated: privatization,performance contracting, tax credits for tuition to private andparochial schools, voucher plans (or funding formulas that have thesame effect as vouchers), planned program budgeting systems (PPBS),and evaluations by private, profit-making groups.
A-28. Federally or State-Mandated Choice/Parental Option Plans. The Association opposes federally or state-mandated choice orparental option plans.
A-29. Tuition Tax Credits. The Association believes that allfederal and state legislation designed to establish or implementplans for prekindergarten through grade 12 tuition tax credits isdetrimental to the public interest and urges its affiliates to workfor the defeat of such legislation.
A-30. Voucher Plans. The Association believes that legislation orballot initiatives/referenda designed to establish or implementprekindergarten through grade 12 voucher plans are detrimental tothe public interest and calls upon its affiliates to work for thedefeat of such actions.
B-1. Early Childhood Education. The National Education Associationsupports early childhood education programs in the public schoolsfor children from birth through age eight. The Associationsupports a high-quality program of transition from home and/orpreschool to the public kindergarten or first grade. TheAssociation further believes that early childhood educationprograms should include a full continuum of services for parentsand children, including child care, child development,developmentally appropriate and diversity-based curricula, specialeducation, and appropriate bias-free screening devices. TheAssociation believes that federal legislation should be enacted toassist in organizing the implementation of fully funded earlychildhood education programs offered through the public schools. These programs should be available to all children on an equalbasis and should include mandatory kindergarten with compulsoryattendance.
B-7. Sexism in Education. The Association endorses the use ofnonsexist language by all schools. The Association furtherbelieves that sexism and sex discrimination must be eliminated fromthe curriculum.
B-8. Sexual Orientation Education. The National EducationAssociation recognizes the importance of raising the awareness andincreasing the sensitivity of staff, students, parents, and thecommunity to sexual orientation in our society. The Associationtherefore supports the development of positive plans that lead toeffective ongoing training programs for education employees for thepurpose of identifying and eliminating sexual orientationstereotyping in the educational setting. Such programs shouldattend to but not be limited to --
B-20. Educational Programs for Limited English ProficiencyStudents. The Association urges that those students whose primarylanguage is other than English be placed in bilingual educationprograms to receive instruction in their native language fromqualified teachers until such time as English proficiency isachieved. The Association believes bilingual education programsshould be promoted and supported at the federal, state, and locallevels.
B-22. Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting. The Associationrecommends that special programs for adolescents be implemented toinclude --
B-27. Multicultural/Global Education. The National EducationAssociation believes that multiculturalism is the process ofvaluing differences and incorporating these values into behaviorfor the goal of achieving the common good. The Association furtherbelieves that multicultural/global education is a way of helpingstudents perceive the cultural diversity of U.S. citizenry so thatthey may develop pride in their cultural legacy. Multicultural/global education develops an awareness of culturesand an appreciation of our interdependency in sharing the world'slimited resources.
B-30. Career Education. The career education concept needs toinclude programs in gender-free career awareness. The Associationbelieves that educational programs for all student should bedeveloped that will enhance self-esteem.
B-34. Family Life Education. The Association recommends thatprograms be established for both students and parents and supportedat all educational levels to promote --
B-35. Sex Education. The Association recognizes that the publicschool must assume an increasingly important role in providing theinstruction. Teachers and health professionals must be qualifiedto teach in this area and must be legally protected from censorshipand lawsuits. The Association urges its affiliates and members tosupport appropriately established sex education programs, includinginformation on sexual abstinence, birth control and familyplanning, diversity of culture, diversity of sexual orientation,parenting skills, prenatal care, sexually transmitted diseases,incest, sexual abuse, sexual harassment. To facilitate therealization of human potential, it is the right of every individualto live in an environment of freely available information,knowledge, and wisdom about sexuality.
B-36. AIDS Education. The National Education Associationrecommends that educational institutions establish comprehensiveacquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) education programs as anintegral part of the school curriculum.
B-38. Environmental Education. The Association further urges thedevelopment and improvement of educational programs that will --
B-52. Standardized Testing of Students. The National EducationAssociation opposes standardized testing that is mandated by local,state, or national authority. The Association also opposes the useof these tests to compare one student, staff member, school, ordistrict with another.
B-63. Home Schooling. The National Education Association believesthat home schooling programs cannot provide the student with acomprehensive education experience. The Association believes thatif parental preference home schooling study occurs, studentsenrolled must meet all state requirements. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state educationlicensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state departmentof education should be used. The Association further believes thatsuch home schooling programs should be limited to the children ofimmediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents.
First New B. Diversity. The National Education Associationbelieves that diversity is any combination of similarities anddifferences of people in community, work places, school systems, orsimilar environments. Some examples are race, ethnicity, color,national origin, language, geographic location, religion, gender,sexual orientation, age, physical ability, size, and marital,parental, or economic status. The Association further believesthat all education employees must recognize and respect diversitythat exists among students and all the peoples.
Second New B. Global Education. The National Education Associationbelieves that global education increases respect and awareness ofplanet earth and its people. Global education imparts informationabout cultures and an appreciation of our interdependency insharing the world's resources to meet mutual human needs.
C-1. Health Care for All Children. The National EducationAssociation believes that every child should have direct andconfidential access to comprehensive health care. The Associationurges its affiliates to support legislation to providecomprehensive health care to all children.
C-7. Day Care. The National Education Association believes thatall child care centers should be examined and monitored on acontinuous basis, and additional legislation should be sought asnecessary to maintain the highest quality child care. TheAssociation encourages school districts and educationalinstitutions to establish on-site child care for preschoolers,students, the children of students, and the children of staffmembers.
C-23. Comprehensive School Health Programs and Services. TheNational Education Association believes that every child shouldhave direct and confidential access to comprehensive health,social, and psychological programs and services. The Associationalso believes that programs in the schools should provide a plannedsequential, K-12 health education curriculum that integratesvarious health topics (such as drug abuse, violence, universalprecautions, and HIV education). The Association believes thatservices in the schools should include --
C-24. School Counseling Programs. The National EducationAssociation believes that guidance and counseling programs shouldbe integrated into the entire education system, beginning at theprekindergarten level.
C-29. Student Sexual Orientation. The Association believes thatevery school district and educational institution should providecounseling and suicide prevention programs by trained personnel forstudents who are struggling with their sexual/gender orientation.
C-30. Placement of Students with HIV/AIDS. The Associationbelieves that students should not be refused admittance to schoolor subjected to any other adverse action solely because they havetested positive for HIV or have been diagnosed as having AIDS.
C-31. Suicide Prevention Programs. The National EducationAssociation believes that suicide prevention programs includingprevention, intervention, and postvention must be developed andimplemented. The Association urges its affiliates to ensure thatthese programs are an integral part of the school program.
C-34. Drug and Alcohol Testing of Students. The National EducationAssociation believes that mandatory drug and alcohol testing ofstudents without probable cause is an unwarranted andunconstitutional invasion of privacy and opposes such testing.
C-40. Gender Equity in Athletic Programs. The National EducationAssociation believes that at all educational levels female and malestudents must have equal opportunity to participate in athleticprograms. The Association urges that athletic funds forfacilities, equipment, and remuneration of staff be allocatedequally between female and male programs.
D-18. Competency Testing and Evaluation. The National EducationAssociation believes that competency testing must not be used as acondition of employment, license retention, evaluation, placement,ranking, or promotion of licensed teachers.
E-9. Academic and Professional Freedom. The National EducationAssociation believes that academic freedom is essential to theteaching profession. Academic freedom includes the rights ofteachers and learners to explore and discuss divergent points ofview. The Association further believes that legislation andregulations that mandate or permit the teaching of religiousdoctrines and/or groups that promote anti-public education agendasviolate both student and teacher rights. The Association urges itsaffiliates to seek repeal of these mandates where they exist.
F-4. Affordable Health Care. The Association urges its affiliatesto do all they can to enroll our members, their dependents,domestic partners, and retired education employees incomprehensive, affordable health insurance plans.
F-34. Drug and Alcohol Testing. The Association believes thatmandatory and/or random drug and alcohol testing of employees andjob applicants is an unwarranted and unconstitutional invasion ofprivacy and opposes such testing.
F-36. Employees with HIV/AIDS. The National Education Associationbelieves that education employees shall not be fired, nonrenewed,suspended (with or without pay), transferred, or subjected to anyother adverse employment action solely because they have testedpositive for the human immunodeficiency virus/acquiredimmunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) antibody or have beendiagnosed as having HIV/AIDS.
H-6. National Health Care Policy. The Association supports theadoption of a single-payer health care plan for all residents ofthe United States, its territories, and the Commonwealth of PuertoRico.
H-10. Statehood for the District of Columbia. The Associationurges its affiliates to support efforts to achieve statehood forthe District of Columbia.
New H. Celebration of Diversity in Thanksgiving. The NationalEducation Association believes that Thanksgiving is the recognitionof unity and the rich American diversity that was embodied in thesettlement of America. The Association further believes that thisnational holiday must celebrate the coming together of peoples andthe inclusion of all immigrants as a part of this great diversecountry.
I-11. Civil Rights. The Association calls upon Americans toeliminate -- by statute and practice -- barriers of race, color,national origin, religion, philosophical beliefs, politicalbeliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, size, maritalstatus, and economic status that prevent some individuals, adult orjuvenile, from exercising rights enjoyed by others.
I-13. Family Planning. The National Education Association supportsfamily planning, including the right to reproductive freedom. TheAssociation further urges the implementation of community-operated,school-based family planning clinics that will provide intensivecounseling by trained personnel.
I-18. Immigration. The Association opposes any policies that denyhuman rights, civil rights, or educational opportunities toimmigrants and their children regardless of their immigrationstatus.
I-22. Freedom of Creative Expression. The National EducationAssociation supports freedom of expression in the creative arts andtherefore deplores any efforts by government to suppress, directlyor indirectly, such expression. The Association further supportsthe freedom of publicly funded agencies to exercise judgment in theawarding of grants to individuals and organizations.
I-25. Human Relations in the School. The Association calls forschool recruitment and staffing policies that will ensureculturally diverse school employees [and] appropriate classroom andother student-related activities, particularly those that areresponsive to the cultural diversity and historical backgrounds ofour society.
I-27. Sectarian Practices in the School Program. The NationalEducation Association believes that the constitutional provisionson the establishment of and the free exercise of religion in theFirst Amendment require that there be no sectarian practices in thepublic school program.
I-28. Control of Guns. The National Education Association believesthat stricter legislation is needed to control guns and otherdeadly weapons.
I-46. English as the Official Language. The National EducationAssociation recognizes the importance of an individual's nativelanguage and culture and the need to promote and preserve them. The Association believes that efforts to legislate English as theofficial language disregard cultural pluralism; deprive those inneed of education, social services, and employment; and must bechallenged.
I-49. Equal Opportunity for Women. The Association supports theproposed Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. TheAssociation urges its affiliates to support ratification of such anamendment. Personnel policies must include family leave, maternityleave, paternity leave, leave for adoption of a child, child-careleave, and professional leave. The Association believes thatsexism and sex discrimination must be eliminated and endorses theuse of nonsexist language.
New I. Freedom of Religion. The Association opposes federal orstate legislation or other mandates that would require schooldistricts to schedule a moment of silence. The Associationparticularly opposes a moment of silence as a condition forreceiving federal, state, or other funds.
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