It's About the Students, Stupid!

The recent controversy over whether public school teachers can wear political buttons in the classroom highlights a significant obstacle to improving our schools: teachers' unions would rather dig in their heels in a fight over something trivial than actively work to improve learning in the classroom.

Should a school district seek to ban politicking within school hallways, you can bet the unions will be engaged and active. But when it comes to educating students and improving schools, the unions can be reliably found in opposition to innovative and common-sense reforms.

Think about it. When was the last time a teachers' union sued to demand higher academic standards? When has a teachers' union ever demanded more accountability in our classrooms?

And you can bet -- any time performance pay or tenure for those teachers who bring out the best in our students is brought up, the unions howl with anger and threaten to strike.

They forget; it's not about unions or anything else. It's about our students and making sure they get the best education possible. Our students are the ones who will suffer by staying in failing schools.

The statistics are staggering:

• Out of 30 developed countries, America's 15-year-olds rank 25th in math; 24th in problem-solving; and 21st in science.

• While the U.S. once had the best high school graduation rate in the world, it has now slipped to 20th.

• As recently as 1998, the U.S. ranked first in percentage of 25-34 year olds with at least a bachelor's degree, but by 2006 it had dropped to 10th.

• Even America's top math students rank 25th out of 30 countries when compared with top students elsewhere in the world.

We know we can do better. We have to do better. But to do that, we need to keep the focus on where it needs to be -- putting quality teachers in every classroom so our students can reach their full potential.

Whatever the election-year arguments some may make about wearing political paraphernalia in the classroom, we should all agree that our students would be better served if the teachers' unions devoted the same energy to reducing the drop out rate, raising math and science achievement and ensuring those who do graduate from high school are truly prepared for college

In education, it shouldn't be about the petty complaints of one group or another. It's about the students, stupid!

Comments

[katydid3500]

As a teacher, I completely agree that things need to be done about the standards in our schools. However, you're blaming the wrong people for standards problems. I'm in a teacher's union because their job is to protect ME from frivilous lawsuits and contract disputes, among other things. Teachers unions are exactly that, a union that advocates for teachers; NOT a group to advocate for students. There are plenty of educational groups and interests groups that advocate for students(and I like to think that as a teacher I want what's best for my students) but the problems that you're blaming on teachers unions are not problems that teachers unions are meant to address.
And as far as performance pay, the main issue with it is how it would be distributed fairly and equitably. If it's based on test scores, how do art teachers earn performance pay? I teach lower level students...do I get less performance pay than an honors teacher because fewer of my students pass the class? It would also create competition between teachers, which is completely against all of the proven approaches to effective teaching such as professional learning communities and collaboarative teams. If I'm competing with my colleagues for bonus pay, I'm not encouraged to share lessons or materials with them, which is bad for students. And for the record, I dont' think teachers should share their political views with their students. It blurs the line between factual instruction and opinion.

[vegas9999]

Very well said but if you would take the time to go on other sites you would find that being a conservative in High School or most Colleges is no different than being a conservative in Hollywood.

[Nommo]

The big picture. It works better when teachers realize that their stake in the system is the same as
that of the students. Think of the absurdity of teachers not advocating for student's. What the hell else is the profession? Teachers are closer to students than anyone besides family. Speak up for children and double your own worth.

In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty.

[bibb]

In my 30 years, I have observed that most teachers do care and advocate for their students. But the other reality is that family structures have changed, and rough home environments and parent/student attitudes about learning do impact what can be accomplished in the classroom.

The educational environment has changed so much, and respect for teachers has diminished in a wave of overbearing, "helicopter" parents and constant assaults from advocacy groups and attorneys. Classrooms can be falling apart, materials nonexistent, and students can be coming into the schools unruly and lacking any preparedness for learning, but you would think that teachers are the only ones responsible for the lack of progress in many areas of this country. I have seen good teachers dragged through the coals by parents who disagree with grades or refuse to support disciplinary actions. The lack of respect is appalling. In many areas, teachers are regarded no better than the "hired help."When school systems are unwilling to protect teachers against unfair attacks, the teacher's associations are the only option.
If the public is going to critically evaluate what's wrong with education, then they need to look in all directions, and not just at teachers and teacher's unions. The lens needs to scrutinize changing parent attitudes, problems with students taking responsibility for their education and behavior, and environmental social problems and their impact on learning and achievement.

Most problems do not stem from one source.

[vegas9999]

Bless you Marc. I just posted a piece basically saying the same thing. Bottom line, they have an agenda and it is not our children.

[mlaiuppa]

Teacher's Unions work for student achievement and accountability all of the time. It's part of bargaining a contract. That's why you never hear about it. It's the unions that are working to lower class sizes from 35 to 20 for elementary classes so Johnny has a chance to get a little individual attention during reading instruction. Teachers know a lot more about education then Joe the Plumber on the school board or Joe the Politician at the state capital. But no one asks the teachers. They're too busy telling the teachers what to do and how to do it.

But it's so easy to bash the union. Any union.

[valkyrie607]

Y'know, I agree, the numbers are terrible. Education in the US is pretty awful. I talked recently with a former Chemistry TA of mine. She is from India, and she told me she was shocked to realize that most American college students, fresh out of high school, don't know how to do titrations.

However, whether or not this is connected to the existence of a teachers' union, or what the union thinks about political statements in the classroom is not clear at all.

Are you against the teachers' union because of the political buttons? Or because of the awful numbers? Either way, you haven't made a convincing argument. And, on top of not making a convincing argument, you've added one more voice to the anti-union chorus that has dominated the political landscape for the past 50 years, which is an accomplishment of dubious worth.