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CAT Tracks for July 6, 2014
MEET THE NEW BOSS |
Whom I firmly believe ain't nuthin' like the old boss!
Dennis Van Roekel was a solid second banana to former IEA President Reg Weaver...
...and, true to form, has spent his two terms being second banana to the President of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten. During the past six years, of the two major teacher union leaders, it has been Randi who has spoken up and spoken out against the attacks on teachers and public education.
Dennis "I'm Your Puppet" Van Roekel, well, need I say more?...
...other than to say that Dennis gives credence to the adage: "Nice guys finish last."
Thanks to my wife's union involvement, I had the pleasure of attending the NEA Representative Assembly during the years that Reg Weaver was President, Dennis Van Roekel was Vice President, and Lily Eskelsen was Secretary-Treasurer. They were a helluva team!
But, when Reg needed someone to fire up the audience, he did not turn to Dennis (except maybe for the introductions).
No, for rabble-rousing energy, Reg turned the stage over to Lily.
Lily had a great sense of humor, and the fire in her belly seemed to burn hotter and truer.
Oh, hell, I'll say it...
...contrary to their genders, of the two, it was Lily who had cojones!
And...
...on top of all that, Lily could sing:
From YouTube
So, I have hope that the NEA will once again step forward and lead the fight to save public education, rather than continuing to go along to get along. (The delegate vote asking for Arne Duncan's resignation is a good omen that the membership is as mad as hell, and not going to take this anymore!)
Yes, my hopes are tempered with a healthy dose of reality, I don't expect miracles. After all, Lily may be President of the NEA come September 1, but she is facing the President of the United States of American, Bill "The 800-lb Gorilla" Gates, and a multitude of Democratic and Republican politicians.
But, dammit, I'd bet my next pension check that Lily will ROAR, not sit meekly by and meow!
Give 'em hell, Lily!
