To the Editor:
In regard to “Report Details NEA Funding of Groups That Criticize NCLB” (News in Brief, Washington section, July 26, 2006):
Union-inspired criticisms of the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act suffer from a credibility gap.
The key to understanding the crusade against the federal law is realizing that its reforms result in less revenue for unions, because for teachers in new charter schools created in failing unionized districts, union membership often becomes optional rather than mandatory. And given a choice, many teachers choose neither to join unions nor to fund their often-troubling political agendas.
Teachers’ unions are aggressive at undermining confidence in the law’s reforms, but don’t admit to this conflict of interest.
Ron Goodden
Atlanta, Ga.
