From: MLive.com

Michigan’s Congressional delegation is largely failing when it comes to education issues, according to one of the country’s largest teachers unions.

The National Education Association released its annual legislative report card on Monday, and while the state’s six Democrats earned straight As, according to the union, three Republicans were handed Fs and three got Ds.

NEA spokeswoman Sara Robertson said the union doesn’t intend to give good grades only to Democrats.

“We’re looking for bipartisan support on all issues concerning education,” she said. “Unfortunately is seems that right now it’s mostly Democrats who share our legislative priorities.”

The grades were also based on legislative actions, such as behind-the-scenes advocacy for education and educators, bill co-sponsorships, committee votes and how accessible the members were to education advocates in their home state or district.

Robertson said the 2011 report card gives new emphasis to votes involving union rights.
“We believe it important to hold lawmakers accountable at a time when both public and private sector unions and the right to bargain collectively are under severe attack,” she said.

U.S. Reps. Dale Kildee, Gary Peters, Sander Levin, Hansen Clark, John Conyers and John Dingell – all Democrats – where given A grades.

Republican U.S. Reps. Dan Benishek, Bill Huizenga, Justin Amash, Tim Walberg, Mike Rogers and Thad McCotter were give Fs, while Dave Camp, Fred Upton and Candice Miller were barely passing, with D grades.

Robertson said the three passing Republicans were given better grades for their support in looking at changes to the No Child Left Behind Act.

Nationally, 57 Congressional Republicans earned passing NEA grades, down from 143 in 2005.

“Unfortunately, these ratings confirm that Congress is increasingly divided,” NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said in a release. “But when it comes to education, we all have a responsibility to help our students succeed—especially our elected leaders.”

“We have to work together to ensure adequate and equal funding for all public schools so that all students have the opportunity to succeed. These men and women are elected to represent our best interests. They hold much of the future of our students and our families in their hands. We need to know where they stand on important issues like public education and workers’ rights.”

Michigan’s two senators, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both Democrats, also earned A grades.

But the union didn’t assign a grade for President Obama. While NEA members voted to endorse Obama’s re-election bid at last year’s annual meeting, Obama’s support for merit pay, charter schools and other issues runs contrary to the union’s position.

Huizenga, R-Holland, said “Quality education of our children is not a partisan event.”

“Clearly, NEA has decided to politicize children’s education and undermine the seriousness of this issue. I’m focused on doing what’s best for children in West Michigan and across the country. Despite the opinion of a national labor union, I will continue to be a strong advocate for an education policy that re-establishes local control and grants our teachers, school administrators, parents and neighbors the power over decisions regarding the education of our children.”

Read this at Mlive.com