AFT to Apple’s Steve Jobs: “Come to School and Get the Facts”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—American Federation of Teachers President Edward J. McElroy today invited Apple Computer Inc. CEO Steve Jobs to join him for a discussion with educators across the United States, in an attempt to clear up any misconceptions Jobs may have on the role of unions in education.

           “Steve Jobs was dead wrong to disparage the hard work of educators and their union.  I encourage him to join me in talking to both our members and the administrators of these schools.  I know he will see and learn a great deal about the positive things we are doing for our students,” said McElroy.

            McElroy also said that he has offered the Apple chief executive an opportunity to share what he learns in a public forum, after Jobs gets an insider’s view from those who actually work in education.  “I know Steve Jobs is a substantive person who deals with facts, and we are looking forward to sharing the realities with him.”

            McElroy’s offer to Jobs comes on the heels of a recent school reform conference in Texas, where Jobs made baseless and uninformed statements that denigrate the good work of hundreds of thousands of dedicated education professionals. 

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