More on Educational Issues

Unions.  Too often they are demonized by far too many who consider themselves as reformers or those who are critical of schools and, by extension, teachers.  For all the decades that unions have been part of the fabric of public education, it is only in recent years that critics have blasted education unions.  Funny that for so many decades few paid any significant attention to them.  To now lambaste unions for the perceived ills of American education is out of place.

My guess is that most parents want a reasonable size class for their children.  This wouldn't have taken place had unions not pushed for smaller class sizes.  Many parents realize that aides are needed in classrooms as teachers often have to teach at a couple of levels within the same class period.  Again, teacher associations and unions have been leading the charge on this.

As I've mentioned in the past, plenty of education issues are intertwined.  Insurance needs to be provided to teachers, and other workers, and unions have been there to advocate for such issues.   When it comes to tenure, most schools that I have worked with don't interfere with an administrator who wants to terminate a poor teacher.  In today's world, plenty of teachers are let go long before tenure would even kick in.  Unions realize that the only way to have a quality learning experience for students is to have quality teachers.

The time has come to realize the good that unions offer their professionals.

Dick