Moral clarity from the National Education Association.

This from the largest U.S. teachers’ union's list of recommended reading:

NEA [National Education Association] recommends the following Saul Alinsky books to those members of our Association who are involved in grassroots organizing, especially Association Representatives (ARs) — also known as building reps or shop stewards — and leaders at local affiliates.

Saul Alinsky is widely recognized as the father of, and pre-imminent expert in, grassroots organizing, which is why we recommend that ARs and local leaders become familiar with his theories & materials.

Yes, this person is writing something about “improving public education.”

Why local NEA affiliates are engaging in grass roots organizing at the local level and how that will improve public education aren't clear to me just now. No doubt it's what the members of the NEA had in mind when they paid in their union dues.

On a more important substantive point: the unidentified NEA official who is the author of this entry states that

We hope that ARs [Association Representatives] and local leaders of all political stripes will discern from Alinsky’s books grassroots organizing strategies that will best help us bring our members together around the common goal of improving public education.

So far, so good. However, it appears Alinsky believed radicals “can and should” use means “to change things” that are unethical if circumstances warrant:

Alinsky spends a lot of time critiquing the idea that "The end does not justify the means." What end? What means? He feels that there are circumstances where one can and should use means that in other circumstances would be unethical. I am not sure I agree, but Alinsky certainly speaks with the voice of experience.

So if Alinsky's "experience" taught him the utility of unethical means that experience must validate those means and his voice should be heeded?

This official backtracks and says he or she is “not sure” that unethical means are proper but nowhere points to any portion of the recommended Alinsky books where there are ends or means that he or she is sure are unethical. In short, unethical means praised by faint damnation.

This U/I official does know, however, that it’s proper to recommend to NEA Association Representatives and shop stewards that they study morally questionable books that that, among other things, celebrate “Radicals” because they “are most adept at breaking the necks of Conservatives.” That seemed to be a memorable quote to this person.

And the one about using stink bombs if your organization is too tiny.

To further the goals of the NEA?

"Recommended Reading: Saul Alinsky, The American Organizer." National Education Association, 2010 or earlier.