Labeling Ambiguity Alert
Topic: CNSNews.com
A June 7 CNSNews.com article by Nathan Burchfiel on the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) dropping the term "social justice" from the criteria used to define the quality of a teacher states that the decision was "hailed by free speech groups." But the only group Burchfiel cites in support of the decision is the the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), which is, in fact, a conservative group whose major donors are conservative foundations. Even the National Review admits this; a 2002 article notes that FIRE was founded by a "right civil libertarian." Even though the article states that "It isn't only conservatives who are defended by FIRE," it's clear by the group's promotion there and at CNS that conservatism -- or, more to the point, anti-liberalism -- is FIRE's main emphasis.