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Surely the booth fulfills at least one of the restrictions cited by NEA on
disallowing exhibitors (I¹m thinking about this in terms of them getting
sued if they turn down AiG):

> (b) The applicant's materials are deemed to be obscene, distracting and/or not
in keeping with NEA
>>> standards; 

As Amanda outlined more clearly, it's a matter of lobbying them at this
point!

Heather Gramp

> From: Amanda Chesworth <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Amanda Chesworth <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 13:37:10 -0600
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: creationists at teacher convention
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> For those following this thread, I have included some correspondence below
> about the matter:
> 
> "Answers in Genesis has been exhibiting at the NEA convention for quite a
> while now, I'm afraid.  Other creationist groups, such as the Creation
> Educators Caucus, have been known to exhibit there as well, as have other
> groups associated with the religious right.
> 
> The two important things to keep in mind here, I think, are (1) that NEA
> isn't necessarily endorsing the views of exhibitors at its convention,
> which is probably understood by the vast majority of people attending, and
> (2) that the relationship between NEA and its exhibitors is essentially a
> business relationship, governed by contract and business law.
> 
> The exhibitor application/contract can be found on-line here:
> http://www.neaexpo.com/app_form.pdf
> 
> What's of most relevance is the general purpose statement:  "THE NEA EXPO
> IS TO SUPPORT DELEGATES IN THEIR ROLES AS ASSOCIATION LEADERS.  The Expo is
> designed to allow the following to be displayed: educational products and
> services directly related to classroom instruction and consumer items and
> general information about significant social issues that are in accordance
> with NEA policy."
> 
> Also relevant are the restrictions:
> 
>> Management reserves the right to deny applications, as set forth in the
>> GENERAL PURPOSE STATEMENT, on the basis of proposed exhibit
>> content.  Applicants must adhere to NEA policies and regulations on
>> non-discrimination.  Applications may be denied based on the
>> following:  (a) The applicant refuses to submit sample materials to be
>> used at the booth for management review; (b) The applicant's materials are
>> deemed to be obscene, distracting and/or not in keeping with NEA
>> standards; (c) The applicant's exhibit may interfere with other
>> applicant's use of exhibit space or of the Expo; (d) The applicant's booth
>> activities may disrupt and/or interfere with the transaction of business;
>> (e) The applicant has been barred from the Expo for past actions or
>> practices.  With the exception of NEA Affiliates, NEA caucuses, or
>> candidates running for NEA office, the NEA logo or name may not be used
>> without the express written approval of NEA; nor, with the exceptions
>> noted above, will any exhibitor be permitted to use exhibit booth space
>> for the express purpose of changing NEA policy.  A violation of these
>> rules could result in removal of said exhibit and jeopardize the
>> exhibitor's future right to participate.  In addition, exhibit management
>> reserves the right to restrict or remove exhibits which, because of noise,
>> method of operation, materials, or other infractions of rules and
>> regulations, become objectionable.  Any item, printed matter, photographic
>> or digital media in any format, persons or conduct considered by
>> management to be offensive may be restricted or removed.  Exhibit
>> management may also restrict or remove any exhibit which, in the opinion
>> of management, may detract or otherwise disrupt the general proceedings of
>> the Expo.
> 
> As far as I can tell, NEA doesn't have a specific policy on teaching
> creationism.  But a policy statement adopted in 2005 and reaffirmed in 2006
> on science education reads:
> 
>> The National Education Association believes that the content in science
>> education must be based on empirical evidence derived from the scientific
>> method and must include the processes of that method.  The Association
>> also believes that content and curriculum must be based on the National
>> Science Education Standards of the National Research Council (NRC) and/or
>> the Benchmarks for Science Literacy of the American Association for the
>> Advancement of Science (AAAS).  (2005, 2006)
> http://www.nea.org/handbook/images/resolutions.pdf (B-46)
> 
> which would seem to preclude requiring, and even perhaps allowing, the
> teaching of creationism.
> 
> So I think that a case can be made that even under the existing contract,
> NEA would have been within its rights to refuse AiG's application for a
> booth.  But it didn't, of course, and I don't think that the language of
> the contract and policy is clear and decisive enough to support the claim
> that NEA definitely should have refused AiG's application.
> 
> For future conventions, it might be possible to lobby NEA to apply the
> terms of its present contract more stringently, or to adopt further
> resolutions that would make it clear that AiG wasn't welcome to
> exhibit.  It won't be easy.  NEA is a large organization with diverse
> constituencies.  So it won't be easy to get the ear of the right people for
> long enough to make a convincing case.  And it won't be easy to convince
> them that defending the integrity of evolution education is worth
> alienating an appreciable segment of NEA's constituency (in some states, a
> quarter of biology teachers are themselves creationists) and appearing to
> act like a censor -- rest assured that if AiG's next application is refused
> by the NEA, it will promptly launch a campaign of complaint and
> vilification against the NEA.  Candidly, I'm not sure how we'd go about
> lobbying NEA, although I'll certainly keep the possibility in mind should a
> good opportunity arise.
> 
> Colin Purrington notes in a comment on your blog that NEA in fact has a
> resolution on teaching creationism, dating back to 1994.  I should have
> remembered this, since a copy is posted on the NCSE website:
> http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/articles/3120_statements_from_educational_or_
> 1_30_2001.asp#nea
> 
> 
> - Glenn Branch, NCSE"
> 
> 
> 
> "Hello everyone - I called the NEA person who deals with their conventions.
> She knows nothing about this situation and could find nothing in their list
> of exhibitors under AiG, creation, evolution science...ect.  What name could
> they be using?  It's hard to protest when they/we can't find them on the
> list.  AiG's stupid website gives no clue - typical of this perverted branch
> of "Christianity".  They love to sneak around.  Ken Whiton"
> 
> "To heck with the 25% of biology teachers in "some" states who are
> creationists.  If the NEA already got the one policy passed, that should be
> enough.  AiG is almost certainly in violation of said policy. - Kim"
> 
> "I went and read the blog; it's very clear to me that their purpose to is to
> win people to the Lord.  That's just not what a teacher conference is about.
> I would have the same objection to ANY other religion doing this at such a
> conference.
> Steve Brügge
> Science Teacher & Webmaster, Eisenhower Middle School
> http://www.aps.edu/aps/eisenhower/brugge/brugge.html"
> 
> 
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