WASHINGTON - Education Secretary Rod Paige called the nation's largest teachers union a "terrorist organization" Monday, taking on the 2.7-million-member National Education Association early in the presidential election year.
Paige's comments, made to the nation's governors at a private White House meeting, were denounced by union president Reg Weaver as well as prominent Democrats. Paige said he was sorry, and the White House said he was right to say so.
The education secretary's words were "pathetic and they are not a laughing matter," said Weaver, whose union has said it plans to sue the Bush administration over lack of funding for demands included in the "No Child Left Behind" schools law.
Paige said later his comment was "a bad joke; it was an inappropriate choice of words." President Bush was not present at the time he made the remark.
"As one who grew up on the receiving end of insensitive remarks, I should have chosen my words better," said Paige, the first black education secretary.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin said Paige's words were, "The NEA is a terrorist organization."
Paige said he had made clear to the governors that he was referring to the Washington-based union organization, not the teachers it represents.
Weaver responded, "We are the teachers, there is no distinction."