Teachers’ Unions Block Reform For Their Own Benefit
by Kyle OlsonEarlier this year Robert Chanin, the recently retired general counsel for the National Education Association, discussed the effectiveness of teachers unions at a gathering in San Diego:
Despite what some of us would like to believe, it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children. And it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child.
NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power.
You can see that portion of his 20 minute speech here:
Chanin’s honesty was, in a way, refreshing. For too long the NEA, as well as the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), have been hiding their intentions behind the guise of student advocacy, using children as human shields to block criticism.
But the truth is that the NEA and AFT are huge national labor unions with political agendas and have a great deal of influence with state and national lawmakers. NEAexposed.com and AFTexposed.com are designed to bring attention to those facts.
It’s important for the American people to understand how they use that power to obstruct desperately needed educational reforms, particularly those involving school choice and increased teacher accountability. They fear reform will threaten their guaranteed clientele of students and job security.
The unions’ militant strategy is putting them at odds with leaders of both political parties. Many Democrats, including President Barack Obama, have joined Republicans in calling for fundamental changes in education.
Last year NEA members stood in silence at their national convention when Obama called for merit pay. This year they booed Education Secretary Arne Duncan when he called for more teacher accountability.
But political isolation only increases their determination.
Consider their position on charter schools, the independent public schools. The unions tried to kill charters in their infancy, but now that it’s clear they’re here to stay, the NEA and AFT have a new strategy.
They’re recruiting charter school teachers as members, so charter schools will be plagued with the same labor upheaval that has damaged so many traditional schools. The goal is death by infiltration.
There are many other examples of union anti-reform efforts. The NEA recently contacted every U.S. senator, suggesting political retribution if they voted to reauthorize the District of Columbia’s successful Opportunity Scholarship Program, a voucher initiative that helps inner-city children escape failing schools.
In Detroit Public Schools, the Detroit Federation of Teachers threatened to strike when the emergency financial manager called for teacher merit pay and an end to the seniority system. The manager and union currently have another month to go in a two-month extension of bargaining talks.
In Wisconsin, the NEA is using its clout to block legislation that would allow teacher evaluations to be linked to student performance. Obama won’t provide education stimulus dollars to states that refuse to link the two, but that doesn’t bother the union.
Reasonable leaders from both parties are calling for changes in education, while the unions are using their political muscle to defend an outdated system. It’s time for the American people to demand education policies that benefit students, not the self-serving teachers unions.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by DRIP USA and AZ grassroots. AZ grassroots said: Teachers’ Unions Block Reform For Their Own Benefit http://bit.ly/FcjRd #dripusa #ocra #tcot [...]
The "education" system in America has become nothing more than a pro-statist lemming factory.
This is all by design, of course. The only thing they seem to be good at these days is singing praises to Obama: “LITTLE FASCISTS ON PARADE: PUBLIC SCHOOL PRAISE AND WORSHIP, OBAMA STYLE” at http://firebreathingchristian.wordpress.com/2009/...
The popularity of homeschooling has skyrocketed in America in recent years for good reason.
Just this year I revoked my own NEA membership because my local chapter is, of course, a shill for the Democratic party and totally enamored of our local liberal school board and superintendent. While I acknowledge there are MANY incompetent teachers, the VAST majority at my own low income "failing" school are very hardworking and competent. The major problem in most schools is an administration that REFUSES to hold students accountable. We are NOT ALLOWED to retain any student, even though our non English speaking population hovers around 65%. No matter what standards or benchmarks have NOT been reached the students go on to the next grade. The NEXT year teacher must "differentiate" their lessons to accommodate the children who are way behind. Throw in the behavior issues and the HUGE amount of money wasted on "professional development" or telling us how to design "powerful" lessons for the failing kids and it is a wonder that so many kids do as well as they do. By the way, at my school we have MANY kids who do exceptionally well on standardized tests. So SOMEBODY is teaching something to children who want to learn. Unfortunately, they are the the true minorities.
I attended a fundraiser this afternoon for an interesting candidate who is running for a state delegate position in the precinct next door to mine. I asked her about the "Standards of Learning" (SOL) legislation passed by former Governor George Allen and how thousands of parents, teachers, counselors, etc., deplored the SOLs b/c it would SOOOO dramatically change curriculum from teaching critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, etc TO teaching to the test – basically a memory exercise. I asked her point blank if she were willing to look at the disastrous SOLs and consider rolling them back? She said she was.
My point is this, there are many many good R's, D's and I's at the grassroots level that have not bought into the crappola being heaped on them by the NEA or AFT or Politicos. The VEA, Virginia Education Association, is a powerful constituent in Virginia which is clearly evidenced by the 50% + they get from general funds. However, not ALL hacks by into their agenda. I've gone up against the VEA and have won my share of general funds for water quality and land protection. You just have to know how your system works.
Lastly, I invite all BG posters to visit jbjd dot wordpress dot com asap. There are more than 60 of us that have filed election fraud complaints to our respective AGs to investigate election fraud perpetrated by the DNC, Pelosi and/or Chairman of respective Dem State Parties. This is the real deal. NO bs. I filed w/the Va AG two weeks ago. I followed up with a call to the Sec'y of the State Board of Elections who was cc'd and all I get is silence. Please folks, if you are truly desirous of taking action then I offer a sincere invitation to join us in our legally sound cause.
Just imagine if WE managed to wield this POWER this pompous man talks about this. I hope this old codger lives long enough to see his life's work dismantled and chucked to the wayside by the Conservative movement.
Mr. Chanin and his cronies have held teachers hostage long enough in placing them in positions where they are forced to pay dues. They've been bullied, and the children they serve are being held hostage too – by the more pitiful, unprofessional teachers who are in "service" for themselves.
President Barack Obama[ has] joined Republicans in calling for fundamental changes in education.
I don't see that as a good thing because of Obama's / Ayers' work on either/both the Woods Foundation / Annenburg Challenge.
Stanley Kurtz has done yeoman's work in bringing this subversive operation to light.
Throw in Ayers' trips to Venezuela for "education conferences" and recent evidence of child indoctrination (many instances of signing kids & the lesson plan) and it gives me chills to think what reforms Obama and Kevin "NAMBLA" Jennings have in store.
President Barack Obama[ has] joined Republicans in calling for fundamental changes in education.
I don't see that as a good thing because of Obama's / Ayers' work on either/both the Woods Foundation / Annenburg Challenge. Stanley Kurtz has done yeoman's work in bringing this subversive operation to light.
Throw in Ayers' trips to Venezuela for "education conferences" and recent evidence of child indoctrination (many instances of signing kids & the lesson plan) and it gives me chills to think what reforms Obama and Kevin "NAMBLA" Jennings have in store.
Dr. Cathy
Thank you for the heads up. I will look at the link you cite. I have read your posts here and they are well thought out and reasoned.
As an aside, as a businessman, I deal with people from all walks of life; in both business and social settings. Over the past three weeks, I have been at several gatherings, and the times they are a changing. Last year, at about this time, and immediately after the election, I was personna non gratta at several of them. Riduculed at others. Now, some of those same liberal bastions of education are questioning their choices of last year. I would have to say that those questioning are more moderate, or center. The far left liberal fascists of academia are still frothing at the mouth, blaming Bush for every ill in society, from the time Eve fed the apple to Adam forward………
Michelle, if you care to post an answer, did you face any backlash from revoking your membership. I am thinking of becoming a high school Latin teacher and I am apprehensive about being pressured to be complicit in the union agenda, "or else." I see your point, by the way. It's not only important to hold bad teachers accountable, but also to make students live up to their failures. In support of that, in the end, isn't it impossible to judge the true cost of students not learning, including the responsibility for this failure that belongs with bad teachers, if we don't let them fail?
We don't tolerate monopolies in this country when it comes to business. We broke up AT&T for that very reason. Why do we tolerate a national education monopoly? One of our broadest goals in this country should be to DECENTRALIZE all extra-constitutional power structures, starting with the central planners in Washington, as well as national education, national unions, and lobbyists. There is simply no place in the American psyche for centralized control.
Please be advised that I have never belonged to any union and never will. Further, in Texas teachers are forbidden by law to bargain collectively; thus, no union. Indeed, in all but sixteen states the same ban obtains. The NEA is a powerful and well-funded good ol' boy / good ol' girl apparatus of the Democratic Party; few people actually belong to it.
Given the multiple usage errors in some of the above responses, I submit that whatever the quality of the instruction in their schools, some of the respondents seem not to have paid much attention.
CL – I too have followed your comments and have respected and enjoyed your political acumen and genuine desire to out the bs. So much noise out there.
Like you, as a political hack, a policy wonk and now a sole propreitor, I've learned that those individuals I thought were my friends who are dem's aren't. The minute the party kicked me to the curb I vowed to learn everything I could possibly get my hands on about 0 and his cult and have a very clear 50' perspective. I got out of the weeds long ago. Now I'm on a mission.
I want 0, Biden, Pelosi, Reid and the rest of Democratic charlatans who betrayed the voter and the entire populous of the USA OUT of power and in a 6 x 10' cell where they are exposed to daily body searches! I'm done with them all. And to continue to blame Bush, like yahoo Burris did yesterday, is pure poppycock! Chicago was turned for the Olympic bid b/c they didn't have their financial house in order.
I've gone on long enough. Won't bore you with my rant. Go check out jbjd's site. You are going to be very, very, very impressed.
I attended a fundraiser this afternoon for an interesting candidate who is running for a state delegate position in the precinct next door to mine. I asked her about the "Standards of Learning" (SOL) legislation passed by former Governor George Allen and how thousands of parents, teachers, counselors, etc., deplored the SOLs b/c it would SOOOO dramatically change curriculum from teaching critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, etc TO teaching to the test – basically a memory exercise. I asked her point blank if she were willing to look at the disastrous SOLs and consider rolling them back? She said she was.
Hey Mack, please visit jbjd dot wordpress dot com blog site. There are over 30 Texans who have filed a Memorandum of Complaint to your state AG's office to investigate election fraud perpetrated by your D state party chairman. He is the one that signed the certification of nomination to get 0 on the general election ballot. Read the complaint and you will learn the facts backing up the complaint. We are trying to get a hundred folks from Texas as well as the other six states to send in the complaint to their respective AGs. Any help you are willing to lend would be most appreciated and valued. Thanks in advance.
Doc,
I like the site. It's impressive Thank you.
Politics does strange things to folks. Personally I believe liberalism is a mental defeicency. I am the first person in my family who was not a registered Democrat, going clear back to the Civil War. They all march in lockstep and maintain the party line. Some still don't talk to me.
I have always been independent minded, capable of individual rational thought. I despise being told what to think, or being told how to vote.
Thank God Algore invented this nifty little internet thingy, huh? We can all be political hacks and policy wonks. It sure beats playing solitare……
Gee Cowboy, my dad is madder then hell at me for not being a Dem. I am the only conservative in my family. My youngest daughter is a Lawyer in St. Paul and is in lock step with the far left. Where in the hell did I go wrong?
Funny, eh? What is wrong with "US"?
My parents are still alive and aged, and still vote.
My children vote.
Pure dee Dimmocratic.
My parents are afraid their benefits will be cut.
My chilfren want what I have, without putting forth years of effort.
The dimmycrats have this scam figured out to a fine science.
Gary, two other points:
I heard a quote years ago that said; "When in you twenties, if you are not voting democrat you have no heart. When thirty and beyond if you are not voting Republican, you have no soul". I Believe that.
The esecond one, and I've used it all my life: "A fellow asked me once what I'd be if I wasn't a Republican. I told him I'd be ashamed of myself………."
Well, I've always been a rather independent woman and loathe anyone trying to control me in any way, shape or form. However, I have come to learn I had a blind spot of which I have already begun my pittance, that is, I supported the national D party with all my might since 1982. Well, the rose colored glasses were ripped off during the 2008 general and I ain't going back. Nope, I'm finding my real strength now and have every intention of using it to out these socialists but I shall remain unaffiliated.
Gee, same here. I think that "The Great Society" of LBJ ruined this country. The give me society started way before that however LBJ was the turning point. Now the Dems have it so they almost cant be beat at the polls. If No-Bama gets this Free Med thing passed, nothing in life is free but the dumb masses haven't figured that out, they will almost never lose another election.
Yup, ol Winston Churchill himself.
Yeah, I sent the Virginia complaint to AG Mims and Sec'y Rodrigues Sunday, two weeks ago, and haven't had my calls returned. I want so badly to assume they are doing right by the citizens of this great Commonwealth. I know the Minority Whip, Cantor, is aware of all of this AND Sen. Mark Warner as well as others. However, Texans are getting the same treatment…silence. One is left to logically assume they have taken these complaints seriously and are attempting to figure out exactly how to go about investigating the fraud. Election fraud, without question occurred. It was blatant and we've caught them…I should say jbjd caught them and the rest of us are working to get the word out. If my logic is correct, then look for some earthquakes in the days and weeks ahead.
Good deal, I bet it feels good to see the light, now you have to listen to Rush. lol
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by JLC and jeeter girrillo. jeeter girrillo said: Unions and their contracts r more important 2 techers than the children http://bit.ly/14jB1c They don't even hide it anymore.Home school. [...]
I also think that there are many good Dems. and Repub out there but they are scared and do not know what to do. I hope the complaints do not go unanswered and something good comes from them but the way politics is now chances do not look good unless the general public starts making allot of noise.
I also think that there are many good Dems. and Repubs out there but they are scared and do not know what to do. I hope the complaints do not go unanswered and something good comes from them but the way politics is now chances do not look good unless the general public starts making allot of noise.
The public education system is failing in America for just this reason…..teacher unions like the AEA. Instead of teaching the children, they are more worried about how much money they make. If they REALLY cared about kids, they wouldnt care about the money, they would just TEACH which is what they should be focusing on instead of their stupid paychecks.
Was that a Mercedes I just saw in my neice’s elementary school parking lot? Hmmm…makes one wonder!
Also, there is no accountability in the the teaching profession. Teachers get raises JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE TEACHERS, which is garbage. A teachers pay should be based on PERFORMANCE just like with every other profession……you do well and your students learn, you get a raise. If you dont do well and your kids are are failing, you dont get a raise.
Very simple.
Si, Senor – We have every intention of making a lot of noise. Oh, and btw, the current DNC Chair is also my Governor. If he colluded with the D elite to get 0's name on the general election ballot, well then, his days are numbered. I don't believe he did simply b/c I know him. There is no part of me that can imagine he would commit fraud against the good people of Virginia; therefore, I must believe he too is trying to figure out what he must do. This is HUGE and affects the entire D operation. I can only hope he makes the right decisions as well as our Republican AG. We'll see.
Teaching union is the pimp between the worker and the employer. The union wants to make a cut on the work of others by pimping or being an agent. If the union was both pure and noble, they would do it for free. Just to be a do-gooder for good people and our children.
Please continue to expose the AFT….they are scum and closely tied to Acorn. Unfortunately, they represent my job and I can't stand that they have the ability to take my $ through forced union dues and support organizations like Acorn and the SEIU along with other far left organizations.
Time to clean this mess up too! Did you see the for sale sign on the ACORN New Orleans building??? HAHA
Although I am not a teacher and do not have children, it seems to me that teachers are expected to "raise" children as well.
Also, you cannot educate someone who does not want to be educated as you said. Motivation begins at home.
Education used to work at a much cheaper price without all the ridiculous "magical" psychological strategies. Failing a grade was considered a MORTAL sin by peers and parents and THAT was a great motivator.
There are a whole bunch of wonderful and dedicated teachers. Unfortunately they are all teaching in private schools, at lower pay and they love it!
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please feel free to contact us: info@edactiongroup.org. We'd like to hear your story. Thanks.
He outlined the problem in the very first sentence, they have "power". That power must be diminished, since it cannot be wholly taken away. Where are the teachers? I've heard so many say what the problems are, and yet the problems just get worse. As with all other Unions that are destroying the very industries they are in, its time to have a come to Jesus moment. Either you stand up to the corrupt leaders of your Unions, redefine and restructure your mission, or continue to reap the disdain of the American people. A reformation of your organization will not be easy, it is however better than the alternative, which is the total collapse of America.
This is what happens, when the government, especially Democrat controlled government, is allowed to operate a monopoly.
Dig deep into the DOL reports for the AFT….they are super corrupt. I
Decertifying them is the ONLY answer. Even if you take over your local, the national still gets $ to give to far left organizations…in other words, a local union cannot control all of the $ or where member's money goes.
Doc,
Congratulations! Thank you for what you write. Now then, it is up to you, and the rest of the women of this country to make a difference. Us tired old white men are getting tired. We have built the world, and are carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders, and we need some help. I implore you, to continue to be involved. There have to be others like you out there. Get them involved. We need all the help we can get. I have always believed that women, and moms have the most powerful voice there is, and they are the silent, sleeping majority. It is time to wake them up!
And I quote , "…because we have power." Worthless SOS (sack of shat).
Jere's a satirical piece about teachers and the fact that the NEA should fight for greater pay for all those teachers writing Obama praise songs for their students…
http://pepperedwithsalt.blogspot.com/2009/09/enco...
Quite frankly, the good and decent people of America are getting tired of hearing about Unions. Their old mantra has become as relevant as the race-baiters cries of "Racism". This is gettinng old, and droll. Children in our schools are uneducated idiots becasue teachers won't teach. When they do, they plug their alternative agendas.
Unions are simply pyramid scams, structured to provide "protection" to the members. If the Italians did it, the DOJ would descend upon them en masse' with cries of organized crime. Want to work? Get a job. Want to keep your job? Do your job. It's as simple as that.
IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>fyi – from BG</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>
These idiots have ruined education and a whole generation in this country. Every time I look back to see what education was like in the early 20 th century and compare it to todays education I am dumbfounded. The teachers, School Boards and the Education Department are filled with scoundrels that are ruining our country's ability to compete with the world.
Huh?
It is more important to these progressive union thugs to promote their agenda than to promote education of our children. This cannot be accomplished without the teachers complicity in the destruction of our children. It is time for all of us to rise up and take back control of our schools. We fight the national campaign when some of the real fight is local, at our School Boards. It is time to take the Tea Parties issues local and go and fight with our School Boards to educate our children and too stop the indoctrination of our children.
I haven't a clue…thought i responded to Gary _K but obviously it didn't register my thought/comment. oh well. been having trouble with logging in to BG all day. weird but trying to work with it.
Please don't make generalizations about every teacher. Know that there are still many of us who actually care about making a difference in our students' lives. And shockingly, there are many of us who are actually conservative Republicans who don't think Obama is the savior of our world…
I've had a problem with the NEA and other unions that "represent" teachers – their agenda for years has been to line their pockets, at the expense of the children and taxpayers. When they have to use children as, for lack of a better term, "human shields" to cry about their schools being underfunded and large class sizes. The emphasis needs to be on rewarding teachers who do good work and teach students to succeed – not rewarding those who stay on the job the longest and are there to "earn a paycheck".
I retired from the Navy, and spent a total of 7 years out of 26 teaching at military schools – I enjoyed my time working with young men and women at the start of their military careers. I considered at one time looking at the "Troops to Teachers" program, but when I saw that the need was at inner city schools, and that the districts in my area only paid entry level teachers about $25k/year, it just didn't appeal to me. Playing politics and dealing with apathetic "educated" people just doesn't appeal to me. Until the mindset changes, either through genuine reforms or changes at the local school board level, the education system in this country will continue to fester in the swamp it is currently in.
Like you, I think the silent majority is now awake and mad. They (No-Bama, Pelosi, Rerid et all) cannot beat us if we stick together.
Very interesting site Dr. Cathy. Most people do not understand the Natural Borne Citizen requirement of the Constitution. To be a NBC both parents must be citizens and Obama's father was not a US citizen. That should be the end of the story, but sadly, most in Washington do not follow OUR constitution and have not for decades. It is high time we send these people to jail for treason.
Solution:
Disband Department of Education. Give education oversight back to states.
I know that for certain. It must be incredibly hard to maintain your sanity some days. A recent girlfriend is a high school teacher and her stuggle is continuous. Keep the faith,
Michelle.
Well done by giving up your NEA membership. In my 9 1/2 years of teaching I'm proud to say that I've never been a member of NEA or AFT (or any state run derivative). I've angered many of my colleague because I've spoken my mind. I've gone as far as telling the 'shop steward' to stop putting membership applications in my mailbox as I deem it offensive and harassing. When reported to administration that I was 'causing trouble' I simply said I'd be happy to support and join their union when they stopped supporting liberal causes and candidates for office (Really won't go into detail why education and politics should not even be interwoven).
I've always maintained there's been 2 things in the last almost decade that is dissolving our educational system. The unions and the NCLB. Both are breeding grounds for apathy and mediocrity of our educators, students and parents. Until this corruption of the educational process from the top down is fixed, I see no end to the downfall of (I say most) teachers.
Please know that not ALL of us teachers are liberal socialists hell bent on propagating our youth with indoctrination. There are more of us than you think who try to "teach" history and not forget about it because it is not 'on the test'
Doc:
For you. Pass it on to every woman you know.
<a href="http://frontpage.americandaughter.com/?p=2114” target=”_blank”>http://frontpage.americandaughter.com/?p=2114
The Left’s strategies could not survive the light of day. Our mass media is mostly to blame for this. Radicals require a sympathetic media to deliver their message in an acceptable fashion and actively suppress inconvenient facts that reveal these organizations’ true character and agenda. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is perhaps the most poignant current example of this. Without mass media’s shamelessly biased support, he would still be community organizing, or perhaps in jail.
It is a tangled web of radical interconnections with the ultimate goal being an end to our Constitutional framework, the fall of our Republic and its replacement with a radical vision of socialist utopia — finally removing the last major roadblock to world socialism
I entirely agree w/previous 98ZJ's comment. In addition, The Dept of Education, Federal, needs to be dismantles. All unions are socialist whether we like them or not. The Democrat Party, including the N.E.A. are Socialist, and after socialism comes communism acdg to their socialist plans.
I think that there are about 16 States now, that have Bible Curricculums available with their course choices.
Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, ok. In a Jewish parochial school, the students are told to question and cross exam everything that they are taught.. They learn how not to be fooled by clever political slogans….and learn logical thinking, instead of memorizing facts & fables. They continuously test their teacher(s)..
Weingarten, AFT's current president and former UFT president seems to have long ties to Acorn. Rathke writes about it on his blog….Bill Clinton was there too.
http://chieforganizer.org/2007/04/14/big-acorn-in...
Hmmm….Acorn, NY Teacher's union, Bank of America & Citbank do homeloans for NY teachers in 2006… What could go wrong?
http://www.ny1.com/Default.aspx?SecID=1000&Ar...
The NEA and AFT have destroyed education in America. They are more interested in agenda over education. Each year, our kids forced to do more agenda driven curriculum than the previous year while the basics such as math are ignored.
Try getting rid of a bad teacher. It is virtually impossible thanks to the union. Many good teachers get the heave-ho however. I personally know of one. She's the one that is homeschooling my youngest daughters now. She was fired in her first year at a public school because she said something opposing the Global Warming hysteria (the curriculum did not allow for any opposing view). She simply stated something along the lines of "others believe that global warming isn't caused by humans but is part of the natural cycle of the Earth and humans have no control over it".
That single sentence was all it took to get rid of a good teacher because one Leftist parent complained but other teachers at the same school who preach socialism and have hundreds of complaints from parents against them can't be touched because of the union protecting them. The teacher I know (who is a cousin of mine by the way) was abandoned by the union however for daring to stray off their Leftist agenda.
It is time we overthrow the all of the teacher's unions. Our family has been fortunate that we could send our sons to a private school and thank God we did because the oldest attended public school in CA – it took two years of tutors to catch him up in reading skills because they decided that phonetic spelling no longer worked; this changed after dismal reading and spelling scores across the state.
Until the private citizens of the US unite and refuse to fund schools until the teachers union is disbanded we will continue to see sub-par education in this country with the only thing the union truly cares about is itself.
Our home state of CA consistently ranks in the bottom of the 50 states in terms of educational performance by our students, yet to hear it the teachers claim they need more money. What they need is more teachers but at the cost of the bureaucratic overhead the union has created. The last I looked into this more than 50% of all employees in CA public schools never teach. Our private school the ration was 80% teachers.
Oh they will tell you it was because the private schools have more money – bullcrap. Look at the charter schools in NY. They are doing extremely well – so much so that teacher's union attempts to defund and kill the charter schools every year. Now they are just content infiltrating them with union teachers so they can once again "educate" our children into being morons. Just watch Jay-walking you will see what our "public" education system is doing.
For those few teachers who really care about education I applaud that you stick to public schools. Might I suggest though that you seek a private school to teach in. The sooner public schools completely fail the better because that is what it is going to take to get rid of the teacher unions. Or perhaps a president who had the courage to kill the unions.
The NEA has to be the most anti-student organization in the U.S. next to the department of education. The only thing they are interested in is money and the power that comes with it, nothing to do with education.
First off David, why would it bother you if a teacher drives a nice car?, or lives in a nice home? IMHO, good teachers should be as high payed as any other profession. Think about it, in business you need an MBA, in teaching, many schools want you to have a masters. Same amount of school time, so why is there a perception that a teacher shouldn't care about the money. The problem isn't teachers, it's the corrupt system of government intervention which wastes more money than it saves. Pay good teachers well, pay bad teachers nothing, get rid of Washington DC's influence in our children and grandchildren's education.
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My Children were Ed in California and I could write a book on the School's here. One School actually took the word of my daughter, who lied to them saying she was a Emansipated and considered a adult, she could skip school anytime and I wasn't notified. The School only apoligized. The phone calls of my denial of sex education, which I wished too handle were not only annoying but Insulting me that I did not have the capability to talk with my own children about sex. I said you handle teaching them to balance a checkbook-that is what I pay you for. Sexual Ed is crazy-Bi-lingual classes etc.. puts us at #47. I say more time-how about actually going back to teaching the basic-which now are taught in "Junior College" in Plan English. It is about how the teacher utilize the time they have-more time is indoctranation
[...] Big Government: [...]
Cathy,
Don't listen to Rush (unless you really, really want to). Just read the Constitution and apply it to everything. If you come upon something that the Constitution doesn't apply to, just go with your gut. Or heart. Or concience.
I have always considered unions to be organized crime. They hold people hostage and extort money from them. Personally, I think the ability to collect forced dues should be outlawed. Then you would see how many people actually want to be in them.
[...] Olsen recently reported on this very issue on Big Government .com with the following, It’s important for the American people to understand how they use that power [...]
[...] Olsen recently reported on this very issue on Big Government .com with the following, It’s important for the American people to understand how they use that power [...]
[...] The NEA is all about power [...]
When Arne Duncan came out to close the Washington DC voucher system, the Republicans should have written a bill to extend it. They would have been seen as leaders with a positive agenda. Right now, they are seen as the party of "No", even though they have issued their own bills on the stimulus and healthcare reform. They need to get in front of the audience their ideas. They need to expose the media for not informing the people of the three House healthcare bills that they presented.
With everything in such disarray, the American people are looking for atlernative plans and decisive leadership. Republicans need to differentiate themselves from Democrats, who yell loudly and carry a soft agenda.
Cities and states are broke because of funding Union employees with Cadillac Benefits and Pensions. My town spends 86% of real estate taxes fo salary, benefits and FREE pensions to government workers and Teachers. Leaves 14% for Education. Unions wrecked Steel Mills, Auto Manufacturing, and say they want decent wages and benefits for their workers; Does'nt help when they force Businesses to close or move overseas and then there are no longer JOBS!! Amazes me how Unions get their membership to "CUT THEIR OWN THROATS!!!
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David, I agree with you. But the question does not begin with the teacher's union. The question begins with any union. Workers in a union receive the same rate of pay, and are given the same salary increases that their peers receive, regardless of performance. John Doe, working his butt off and going the extra mile, receives the same rate of pay (assuming the "same" job) as Joe Slacker. And, more importantly, the union protects Joe Slacker from any action, including termination of employment, from his employer simply because Joe Slacker is a union member. Hardly a win for John Doe, for where is the reward for excellence? A great win for Joe Slacker because he can bring home the bacon and not be accountable for his actions or inability.
John Doe keeps going above and beyond the call of duty because he believes in what he is doing, or because he cannot abide doing any less than his best. Joe Slacker keeps slacking off because he knows he can get away with it and still get paid.
The time of the union has passed. We currently have in place, a system of laws to address child labor and discrimination in the workplace – what purpose does a labor union serve in today's society?
Wow, selective memory. In the early twentieth century there was slavery and segregation and the economy was such that families had only one adult working. Life is different now in the US. Working in a school district without a union, I am seeing the administration get swollen and little trickles down to the teachers who are mistreated and denied their rights. Get a clue.
I am a counselor/teacher in a high school and I totally agree with Michelle. The problem in public schools is that adminstrators fail to hold students accountable. Adminstrators undermine attempts of good educators to hold students to task. They constantly cave to enabling parents.
I don't know if you have been paying attention to the kids now a day, but the disrespect they show not only the teachers, but anyone they choose,you can't teach them. I see how they treat people in general and wonder what our world is coming too. You can't do anything to the kids without them yelling " you can't do that or I'll tell my parents". Which then the parents side with the kids and there is no accountability. Kids now a day does not know about hard work to get what you want. It is cheat on a test, steal it or I am intilted to it because of…Don't blame the teaches for this. It is the goverment and all the rules the make to try to be more fair for all people.Politicly correct is all bs.