Published: August 29, 2008

NEA Responds to Naming of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as Republican VP Nominee

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MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Reg Weaver, who is attending the Republican National Convention inMinneapolis, Minn.:

"The 3.2 million members of the National Education Association are pleasantly surprised by Senator John McCain's selection ofAlaska Governor Sarah Palin to join his ticket as the Republican nominee for vice president.

"While she is only in her second year asAlaska's Governor, she has thus far shown herself to be a supporter of children and public education. She comes from a family of educators. Her father was a teacher, her brother is a teacher, and her mother was an education support professional.

"In her less than two years as the state's chief executive officer, she was able to increase per-pupil education spending, and she is opposed to sending public money to support private schools through political schemes like vouchers.

"Her selection, however, has certainly taken the issue of experience off the table for political debate."

Governor Palin participated in NEA Alaska's candidate recommendation process when she ran for the post. You can view her candidate interview with NEA-Alaska and her formal candidate questionnaire on NEA Alaska's website.

    Interview with NEA-Alaska
http://www.neaalaska.org/acaf/gub%20palin%20interview%20responses090906.htm
    Response to NEA-Alaska questionnaire
http://www.neaalaska.org/election06/gov_palin.htm

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

SOURCE National Education Association