The AEA is back, baby!
That’s what the Alabama Education Association and their part-time political commentators will tell you.
Probably worth pointing out that AEA has won the 2021 session. Could be a sign of things to come. #alpolitics
— Josh Moon ?? (@Josh_Moon) May 18, 2021
The AEA retweeted that tweet.
So, what does that victory look like? The AEA has some thoughts.
AEA is still at work fighting and winning for Alabama students and schools tonight! The 3rd grade retention requirement of the Literacy Act has been delayed by the legislature until the 2023-2024 school year! The bill now moves to the governor's desk for signature. #myAEA pic.twitter.com/nbaCYoU9TA
— Alabama Education Association (@myAEA) May 18, 2021
OK, maybe this is complicated. The AEA considers the promotion of third-graders who can’t read to the fourth grade as a … good thing?
Sorry, Timmy, you can’t read, but we will get you in the next school year.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, the argument they used to justify this boneheaded policy is that the global coronavirus pandemic upended the school year.
That’s right. The school year was such a mess that kids were left behind.
The kids that were left behind were the most at risk of being left behind already, and then others who had their lives wrecked also fell behind.
We all know a family that struggled with pandemic learning. We all know that these kids got shafted.
So, the association that represents the teachers in this state — and far too many elected Democrats and Republicans — decided the way to handle this abomination is to screw these kids even more.
It is imperative that Governor Kay Ivey veto the delay of the Alabama Literacy Act and let its intended purpose take hold.
The argument for the Literacy Act in the first place was pretty simple: sending kids who can’t read on their way is a bad idea. It sets them up for failure and leads to bad outcomes.
If this is believed by the legislators who passed it and a governor who signed the original bill, how do they justify doing it to these kids?
You can’t. They can’t.
So, the AEA can claim a victory here, and the super-majority Republican legislature has handed them one.
They avoided accountability.
The AEA “won” by holding that accountability off.
They will attempt to move the calendar on this again, no question about it.
The last thing they want is a large number of students being held back every year exposing the flaws in the public school system.
So, yeah, the AEA won here, but there has to be a loser here, too: the third-grader who gets promoted and can’t read at a third-grade level.
Governor Kay Ivey should protect that child, veto this bill, and let the Literacy Act go into effect as scheduled.
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.
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