Paige apologizes again for 'terrorist' comment
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DALLAS, Texas (Reuters) -- Education Secretary Rod Paige apologized for calling the nation's largest teachers union a "terrorist organization," saying in an editorial published Tuesday that he made a "very poor word choice."
"I chose my words carelessly, and I am sorry for the hurt they caused," Paige wrote in an editorial published in the Dallas Morning News.
Paige said he made the comments because he was frustrated by the lack of progress in implementing Bush administration proposals for education reform. He pointed a finger of blame at the heads of the National Education Association, the teachers union he branded as terrorists, for holding up the Bush plans.
"As ill-considered as my words were, my disappointment was directed only -- and I mean only -- at the union heads in Washington who have been opposing any and all education reforms, no matter what the consequences to our children," Paige wrote.
The NEA has criticized the Bush education proposal dubbed the "No Child Left Behind Act" as being arbitrary and ineffective.
NEA President Reg Weaver has called for Paige to be removed from office because of his comments.
"Our members say that once again this national leader has insulted them, this time beyond repair by words filled with hatred -- and merely because they have raised legitimate concerns about the president's so-called No Child Left Behind law," Weaver said in a statement last week.
Paige labeled the NEA a terrorist organization during a private meeting with governors at the White House last week.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Paige met with 50 of the nation's top teachers on Monday in private and apologized for his comment. "I made some inappropriate remarks," Paige was cited as saying in a statement released to reporters.
Paige, who has been a driving force for the No Child Left Behind Act, had served for a decade as dean of the College of Education at Texas Southern University and he left that post to become the superintendent of Houston's schools in 1994.
Copyright 2004
Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
