Education

Mich. Teachers Union Prez Suggests Using Students at Budget Protests

Here’s a novel idea: why don’t we teach our students the importance of civics by giving them the opportunity to protest state budget cuts? That was the suggestion of a Grand Rapids, MI teachers union president last night during a school board meeting.

“We need to demonstrate strength in numbers of real people. Real people who are impacted by the decisions these elected officials are going to make. Real people who vote,” Grand Rapids Education Association President Paul Helder said. His ideas for unity include “voluntary educational civics field trips to Lansing to teach our students about the importance of having a voice in government” and “taking an action of some kind that requires the rescheduling of a day of school.”

WOOD-TV reports:

According to WOOD, no one on the board supported Helder’s suggestion, and instead opposed his idea of taking a day off to protest.

(H/T: Talk Radio AM 1230)

Comments (111)

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  • eat-more-bacon-USA
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:47pm

    Obama democrats love pimping out children – it is what they do.

    Report Post » eat-more-bacon-USA  
  • thermonator
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:44pm

    Hmmm, using the children.

    Another good reason to get rid of the unions in our schools.

    Report Post » thermonator  
  • hightide
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:43pm

    Union thugs, socialists, communists and corrupt teachers. Leave the kids alone. WAKE UP AMERICA. They have you surrounded.

    Report Post »  
  • DC0893
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:38pm

    Time to elect a “new” Union Pres……………………eh???

    Report Post »  
  • delhoghe
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:34pm

    And the good news for the citizens of the other 49 states ? We don’t live in Michigan.

    Report Post »  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:33pm

    So use the kids for protests and give them class credit for doing it. Just when you think that the unions can’t sink any lower, surprise!

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
  • powhatan
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:31pm

    Use the kids? Puhleese..Is that the best they got?….those kids pay so much in taxes don’t they..

    Report Post » powhatan  
  • Florida_Freedom_Fighter
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:31pm

    Perhaps these FREAK SCUM Liberals need a reality check !

    Report Post » Florida_Freedom_Fighter  
  • Chicago Ray
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:30pm

    These people have no ‘bottom’.

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
  • SafeguardOurLiberty
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:30pm

    Parents must give permission for any outside activity. They cannot just take the students to a protest without parental permission,or they can be sued. Now, if the parents give this permission,then they parents are to blame. I would think that a responsible parent would be against this type of “field trip”. If the parents don’t realize that the unions are using their children as a pawn in their thirst for more of their tax dollars, then this country has a big problem.

    Report Post » SafeguardOurLiberty  
    • Nobamazone
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:36pm

      actually, the schools no longer have parents sign permission slips for each trip, a blanket permission form is now the norm around here. They do, however, inform the parents of upcoming trips, and I agree, the parents should step up and not allow the child to go. I would not allow mine to go! But they don’t have permission slips or even always notify us of who is coming into the school for assemblies and such. I ask my children and then often have to deprogram them!
      Thankfully the school board did not allow it in this case

      Report Post » Nobamazone  
  • mikeg12
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:27pm

    How about this be classified as Child Abuse? Child Endangerment? Given the demeanor of union protests lately and the real chance of being hurt or arrested, how irresponsible is this! Suprised he didn’t ask for field trips or sabbaticals to visit Mumia Abu-Jamal! Goes to show the truth in the old college saying, “if you can’t get a real job with a progressive (sic) arts degree, you can still teach.” [Good educators/teachers would never do this kind of thing! no (sic) intended]

    Report Post »  
  • mike1119
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:26pm

    Only if thay USE kindergarteners only.

    Report Post » mike1119  
  • BigPaulie
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:23pm

    Any responsible parent in Michigan should demand this idiots resignation and not stop until they have it. There is no place in our children’s educational system for left wing clowns like this.

    Report Post »  
  • Exrepublisheep
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:16pm

    Sad, and a little infuriating.

    Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
  • miles from nowhere
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:15pm

    There is nothing new about this. I would like the state to kick the teachers union out. then they could find some people more interested in teaching then there freeloader entitlement mentality.

    Report Post »  
  • wayned315
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:08pm

    Again, another example. We cannot take them out in 2 or 4 years. They have 100 years of this crap being implemented. Are you willing to give everything to stop it now? That’s what it will take. They have your kids(mine too, but I read everything they do and correct it with books I have here) Everything they are taught and who they are taught by is based on what we let slide. How does a burgler rob you? I‘m sure you don’t let them in your house, but they found a way in anyway. Same applies to the left, I’m 36, High school educated, and very mechanically inclined, not very smart. I can see your frustration as well as my own. But what I can’t understand is how do we change the game without a new plan? A battle plan is required along with the willingness of the people to implement it. So if you can‘t or won’t resign yourself to what’s coming. THEN STAND
    The ramblings of a lonely soul.

    Report Post » wayned315  
    • Sam Brown
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:17pm

      The nazi socialist were defeated but now those same socialist are embraced by the offspring of the generation that defeated them. How do you stop evil, with more evil?? Will good disappear if good does nothing? Beck has often pointed out that the founding fathers found a way to fight evil but Beck never supports violence and neither do I. I doubt Washington would have much do do with Beck or myself. Thank god a man like Washington was there.

      Sammy

      Report Post »  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 10:27pm

      Sam
      My father in law fought on the USS Baltimore during WW II and is a staunch Democrat. The greatest generation is not that great. He supported the Communist Obama, It got to the point I couldn’t stand to speak to him.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
  • Sam Brown
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:06pm

    I guess they could show solidarity and put those Brady anti gun targets on the backs of the kids on parade. As long as they are going to be sleezeballs then may as well go the whole deal.

    Sammy.

    Report Post »  
  • axel@25
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:03pm

    “no one on the board supported Helder’s suggestion”

    Good for the Board! ( I sincerely hope that their lack of public support is the same behind closed doors). Maybe the Union’s advocation of using the students and “reschedulng”(new word for illegal strike or sick-out?) has awakened the Board to just how theses thugs operate, and that the Union’s have NO interest in actually educating.

    Report Post »  
    • starman70
      Posted on April 13, 2011 at 10:12am

      Right you are!!!!! The good old days of teachers teaching read’in, rrit‘in and ’rithmatic are gone forever. This idiot wants to teach the children to be good COMMUNIST legionaires. To march in all COMMUNIST causes and break the establishment in order to install a marxist dictatorship in America. And just think, these union goons have the full support from the Imposter in Chief and his band of Chicago lefties.

      Report Post »  
  • BetterDays
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:01pm

    Same people that would pull a kid in front of them if ever bullets flew, disgusting.

    Report Post »  
  • Cherynn
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:00pm

    If the left didnt have kids to use as tools, who would do thier dirty work??? Picking on the innocent is shameful but who else would listen to and believe thier garbage. Hitler would be so proud to see his tactics are still being used today.

    Report Post » Cherynn  
  • BrerRabbit
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 3:58pm

    Works both ways? Will students be allowed to march in support of budget cuts?

    Report Post »  
  • My Hero-Allen West-click my name
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 3:55pm

    He needs to be ran out of town on a rail..

    Report Post » My Hero-Allen West-click my name  
    • True2The_Word
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 5:13pm

      You can count on some serious back-lash for this yo-yo. I live in the area, and I can garentee the school boards throught out the area are getting an ear-full. This is aditude smears the good teachers, insites VERY stronge negatives for the immage of teachers in general. If he wants to see improvement in civics, how about teaching the truth about the Constitution, not MOB RULE!

      Report Post » True2The_Word  
  • LadyIzShy
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 3:55pm

    of coarse they will use the kids. they always use the kids.. just like the gun story I just read. they always use the seniors and the kids

    Report Post » LadyIzShy  
  • Untameable-kate
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 3:54pm

    Ah, the unions, makig America stronger one child at a time.
    If these thugs tried this in Az there would be some a$$ whooping going down.

    Report Post » Untameable-kate  
    • Marylou7
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:13pm

      That is exactly what they need. I am so sick of liberals either slaughtering our babies before they are born or using them to get their selfish ways.

      Report Post » Marylou7  
  • nacilbuper
    Posted on April 12, 2011 at 3:54pm

    The are truly desperate.

    Report Post » nacilbuper  
    • Obama Bin Lying
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:02pm

      To teach are children to be leaches, and when you don‘t like something that doesn’t go your way, you incite violence, and creat mayhem.

      Yup, real good lesson there

      Report Post » Obama Bin Lying  
    • TXPilot
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:07pm

      If those students were union members, they would have to be highly paid and recieve free health benefits and awesome retirement plans before being allowed to protest.

      Report Post » TXPilot  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:11pm

      Why don’t they give the kids $100.00 , then take 60% back as a demonstration of Government Taxation, then send them out to buy Food, Clothing, Electricity, Water, Heating Oil, Gas for their Transportation, a Car payment. . Now that would be a Civics lesson that even a Liberal, Socialist, Progressive, Communist, Anarchist, DEMOCRATS ALL, could understand(NOT). The children would be scratching their heads at the lunacy of DEMOCRAT Financing.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • texasfarmer
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:11pm

      Why not try something novel like teaching them the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and balancing your check book.

      Report Post » texasfarmer  
    • felina g
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:16pm

      Operative word here: “USING”

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:19pm

      And when people get desperate, then they get very dangerous.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Obama Snake Oil Co
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:27pm

      Ahhh, pretty sure they cannot….vote yet? Until people start standing up and demanding the same treatment they give conservatives with religion, then they have the bigger mouth. Cards will not fall until someone blows them down…otherwise, expect the next generation of socialists….

      Report Post » Obama Snake Oil Co  
    • grandmaof5
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:32pm

      How about starting with a course in math and economics. Zero take away millions of dollars just doesn’t work out well of the children you want to use as pawns. How about getting some teachers who care about the students instead of lining their pockets.

      Report Post »  
    • lemmings4obama
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:34pm

      This is a great idea! Then we can have the kids go on a field trip to Planned Parenthood and teach them the importance of Science, and why it‘s ok to tax mom and dad for important things like terminating the ’unwanted’s.’

      Report Post » lemmings4obama  
    • sleazyhippo
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 4:51pm

      Yes, why engage young impressionable citizens in public activities, they would be better off learning to spell correctly.

      Report Post » MONICNE  
    • Ironmaan
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 5:17pm

      The unions are responsible in large part for the dire financial situation the states are in, and now that the states have come to the end of their financial rope the unions are acting like spoiled little children throwing tantrums trying to get their way.
      http://guerillatics.com

      Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 6:01pm

      As a FORMER Michigan resident .. these people need to be GONE >.>.they have ruined a great state with their demands and poor work.

      Report Post »  
    • woodyb
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 6:13pm

      Voluntary (?) IF YOU WANT TO PASS THE COURSE you will join us!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Typical union thuggery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • restorehope
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 6:51pm

      Sounds like he is the chief idiot on that board. At least the others refused to go along with him. HIs suggestion to use students as protesting participants is ludicrous. At that age, kids cannot control or budget their own money, and he wants them to have a serious input on a school budget? Look at the type of people that are influencing our children. Scarey.

      Report Post »  
    • waggie
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:13pm

      I am so SICK AND TIRED of our children being used as pawns. ENOUGH ALREADY!

      Report Post » waggie  
    • janedough1
      Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:33pm

      If I were a Michigan parent, my child would be withdrawn and entered into home school tomorrow. Let a few million kids be pulled out en mass, and see this whole teacher’s union debacle go the way of the dinosaur.

      Report Post »  
    • Uncle Sambo
      Posted on April 13, 2011 at 7:06am

      De-certify the thugs.

      Report Post »  
    • Miguelito
      Posted on April 13, 2011 at 9:12am

      Using our kids, they will stop at nothing to get what they want!

      Report Post »  
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