The National Education Association [NEA] has adopted two resolutions calling for LGBT rights at its annual conference last week. The resolutions state that the organization opposes the “discriminatory treatment of same-sex couples and its belief that such couples should have the same legal rights and benefits as similarly-situated heterosexual couples.”
They also call for the “passage of a federal statute prohibiting federal discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.”
However, the NEA falls short of asking for gay marriage and instead says: “NEA does not believe that a single term must be used to designate this legally recognized “equal treatment” relationship, and recommends that each state decide for itself whether “marriage,” “civil union,” “domestic partnership,” or some other term is most appropriate based upon the cultural, social, and religious values of its citizenry.”
One would think that of any group, the NEA should understand how words can be inclusive or exclusive, and to call the union of a gay couple anything less than marriage is exclusive.
It was a nice try, NEA, but you can do better.
I'll give you a B-minus.
