Teachers' Unions

So are the teachers' unions good for education or bad? Also is tenure a good practice or one that hurts education? In my opinion both of these institutions hurt education to some degree. Tenure, for example, allows bad teachers to continue to teach. I had a Spanish teacher in grade school who I thought was terrible. The only thing I learned was that her name rhymed with bell, shell, hell... But because this teacher had tenure it would have been very difficult to remove her just because her students performed poorly. In any other job if the result of your work is below expectations you can be expected to be disciplined and eventually fired. Not so with tenured teachers. Only when their behaviour is egregious do they get fired.

The teachers' unions are another matter. I have mixed feelings on unions. I believe they empower their employees to keep management from just exploiting them unfairly. However, they also have a tendency to treat hard workers the same as lazy ones. And as seen in Europe too much power concentrated in the hands of the unions can severely stunt growth. The teachers' unions go one step further by trying to advance their own agenda. Now as the union is paid for by the teachers it's primary responsibility is to look out for the teachers, not the students. Anything that may help students but harm teachers is fought. However, in their defense I have checked out the NEA's website and it does appear to have some very helpful information and lesson ideas on various subjects. Although I was a little worried when their Homepage poll asked if teachers should try to encourage a love of America in their students.

For the most part I think the majority of teachers and school faculty are trying to their best to teach our students. They try to walk a difficult line. Parents expect their kids to do well in school, but often don't spend time helping their kids with homework or even making sure they do it. Schools also have to try not to anger or insult any specific group of people, which is an impossible task given the vast diversity in our country today.

There are no easy answers or quick fixes to improving education in America. If there were it wouldn't be as controversial as it is. For me, I can only try to bring my son up to respect authority figures, at home, school or wherever, and to do the best he can. Otherwise I'll make him stand in the corner till he's 30!!!