If you ever sought proof that our educational system is dominated by Liberals, it's this: the National Education Association is co-sponsoring an April pro-abortion march in Washington DC. Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Organization for Women, NARAL Pro-Choice America and other liberal and feminist groups are marching to promote abortion on demand. The organisation that supposedly represents America's teachers is officially marching right alongside them. Certainly there are individual teachers who don't support abortion, and would rather their mandatory union dues -- automatically deducted from their paychecks, which are generated by our taxes -- not be spent to sponsor a rally in favor of it, but they are clearly in the minority.

What business does a teacher's union have promoting abortion on the taxpayer's dime? Shouldn't the National Education Association be more concerned with issues related to education? What message does it send to children when they see their teachers endorse killing unborn children as a matter of convenience? How are they supposed to feel when they realise that if their mothers had felt the same way, they might not have been born? Aren't the teachers worried about putting themselves out of a job if too many people listen to them? Actually, there's little danger of teachers being fired for any reason once they reach tenure. This is the most radical method of reducing class size I've ever seen, however.

If teachers are supposed to be authority figures and role models for children, they should stick to promoting positive values when they speak as teachers. There's no reason for them to get involved in pro-abortion marches any more than they should be involved with so-called anti-war marches... which they're also doing. For instance, the United Educators of San Francisco/AFT/NEA/AFL-CIO joined with groups like the International Socialist Organization, the Pagans 4 Peace and the Queers For Racial & Economic Justice to stage a recent "run away!" war protest in San Francisco. Teachers were seen demanding that the US run away from its responsibilities in Iraq and stop fighting for liberty. Once again, what message does this send to the children for whom those teachers represent adulthood and authority?

If union members want to march in support of causes that have nothing to do with education, that's their right as individuals. When they represent themselves as speaking on behalf of America's teachers, then they shouldn't be endorsing either side of political issues.

Isn't it about time that the schools we pay for stop being used as a pulpit from which to promote purely Liberal "values"?