The Attack on Teacher's Unions

"Education is one issue where it should be easy to find common purpose and common solutions. And I believe the president must be troubled by the lack of progress since he took office. Most likely, he would have liked to do more. But the teachers unions are one of the Democrats’ biggest donors — and one of the president’s biggest campaign supporters. So President Obama has been unable to stand up to union bosses — and unwilling to stand up for kids," Romney said.

"He can’t talk up reform while indulging the groups that block it. He can’t be the voice of disadvantaged public-school kids, and the protector of special interests," Romney said. "President Obama has made his choice, and I have made mine: as president, I will be a champion of real education reform in America, and I won’t let any special interest get in the way. We have to stop putting campaign cash ahead of our kids."

The above quotes come from a speech Romney made to the Latino Coalition in Washington DC in May of this year.

Here is a bit more – "As president, I will give the parents of every low-income and special-needs student the chance to choose where their child goes to school. For the first time in history, federal education funds will be linked to a student, so that parents can send their child to any public or charter school, or to a private school, where permitted. And I will make that choice meaningful by ensuring there are sufficient options to exercise it," Romney said.

TheFundamentals would ask you to ask yourself this question – Why shouldn’t parents have choice in selecting a school for their children?  Why should there be a public monopoly that provides taxpayer funded education?  Is education the same as the electric current coming into your house or apartment?  One choice.  Is it the same regardless of where you live?  The same current; same result?   Turn on a switch and the light goes on?  Mission accomplished?

We think not.  We think education is multi- faceted and we think many parents take responsibility for their child’s education the same way they take responsibility for their child’s safety; upbringing; religion; manners and conduct.  They measure opportunity; challenge; results.  Unless they only have one choice.  Then they fight and struggle and compromise to get the best they can knowing that their only choice, particularly in urban schools,  is a dismal product if measured by other standards.

Unless and until teacher unions support outcome based education results as the dominant factor in pay scale, benefits and teacher retention, their product – union protection of lesser standards will be under attack. Unless and until teachers union support parental choice of school selection for all parents, their product – union protection of lesser standards will be under attack.

Obama and Democrats may like teacher union votes and their campaign contributions and they obviously are willing to sacrifice Americas kids for these selfish motives, but nothing can diminish the very obvious hypocrisy of selling out kids for personal gain and stature.  We can think of no culture – other than American culture – that tolerates this shameful behavior.  No one can make a parent be responsible.  Now,  America provides many parents with a built in excuse for not being responsible.

The attack on teachers unions has only one objective and one acceptable outcome – the elimination of those unions.  The union defends poor performance under the guise of caring about kids.  And the Democrats buy in to that position.  If you vote for any Democrat you are buying into poor urban education outcomes.  At least until the Democrat party rejects teachers unions.

That is a strategy that is long overdue in America.

 

 Karen Lewis, head of Chicago Teachers Union - on strike today - for herself(ish) reasons

PS:  What is wrong with this essay?  Education and teachers unions are not really a national issue; they are a local/state issue.  Sure, the feds could swing some weight but the real change must be local because most education funding is local.  Unless and until local voters stop electing anyone who panders to a teachers union or union bosses (see above), their influence continues.  A simple start to reform is to eliminate the school district collection of teacher union dues – let the union collect from their membership directly.  Let the teacher’s mail in their checks every month.  Elected officials, pass a law – make all union dues voluntary.  It’s a start.