David Broder in his March 6 column maligned the National Education Association and its state affiliates as opponents of school change. In essence, Broder fell for the anti-public school, anti-union propaganda that is spewing out of the conservative think tanks around Washington, and painted educators everywhere with the same broad tar brush.

If Broder would come to Maine, he would see that the Maine Education Association is very much involved in school reform. Outside the Beltway, he would find that schools are doing a good job and that educators are working with, not against, parents, school boards and business leaders to improve learning opportunities for students.

He would learn that members and leaders of the MEA worked hard over the last three years with 19 other stakeholders to develop the Learning Results program. Broder could see the fruits of a joint effort to define what knowledge and skill students need to know by the time they leave school and discover that the most strident opponents to Learning Results’ higher standards and increased accountability are not educators, but are instead right-wing conservatives.

Contrary to Broder’s allegations, the MEA supports higher standards and greater accountability. We believe in site-based decision-making and are staunch advocates for school reform. We deplore the retention of any unprepared or incompetent teacher in the classroom and have, on many occasions, tried to raise standards for entry into the profession. Tim Humphrey, president Maine Education Association Augusta