A Teachable Moment

Teacher unions like the PCT have been strong advocates on women’s issues like equal job opportunity, reproductive freedom, pay equity and women’s health. We are natural leaders on these issues with memberships that are usually around 75% female. With this advocacy in our history, it’s disheartening for teacher unionists to find the Komen Foundation, a leader in raising funds to fight breast cancer, knuckling under to right wing pressure and cutting their funding to Planned Parenthood’s breast cancer screening programs. Komen’s rationale for cutting their ties to Planned Parenthood is just patently silly. They claim they are doing so because Planned Parenthood is under Congressional investigation. Sure, they’re under investigation. The anti-women’s rights crowd in the Congress is using its investigative powers to try to destroy an organization that has a distinguished record of helping women gain control of their destiny. Those who wish to see women back in their subservient place are so determined that they are even willing to deprive poor women of their access to health services. I’ve signed the Move-On.org petition on this subject. I would urge my readers to do the same. I will also be urging the union organizations I belong to to end their fundraising for Komen and support cancer research through other vehicles. Do any organizations you belong to support Komen. Urge them to reconsider.