“Five Myths about Education Reform”
February 25, 2009 3 Comments
Kalman Hettleman writes a commentary on Five Myths about Education Reform. With all the recent talk about education in Iowa, consolidating schools, sharing superintendents, etc., his article caught my attention.
I wish to comment on “Myth number 4: Teacher unions are the enemy.”
Hettleman says that unions are not “the villains in the tale of school failure.” He goes into detail as to his reason about this myth.
He does not list an observation I have come to see through my time on Iowa Defense which is teachers unions are a way to collect fees from teachers which in turn are given to politicians who will support and vote in agreement with the liberals in charge of the union.
I fail to see how teacher unions are putting the students first. No, first is the money generated by the teacher’s dues. And, I often wonder how many of the teachers in Iowa really know how their hard earned money is spent.
Another point Hettleman makes is
“Conservatives generally advocate breaking up teacher unions and privatization, while liberals call for more money, less testing and greater teacher autonomy. But nothing has succeeded.”
Something needs to succeed in the area of education. Iowa’s children are our most important resource. There needs to be more than calling for school consolidation, raising the drop out rate, arguing between political parties, and bickering between public education and homeschooling.
I do not know if readers will agree or disagree with the 5 Myths, but at least they are thought provoking.
I doubt you can prove that the teacher’s union uses dues to give to politicians. They can and do collect from their members money that goes to a PAC – but it isn’t a requirement for membership.
If you want to see education improve you need to improve some of the parenting (or lack of it) that is going on.
I know how some of it was spent the Iowa teachers union gave Mike Gronstal over $150,000 dollars in campaign contributions. He and another democratic leader tolled over $250,000 between just the 2 of them. Its sad to see education lacking and have the money blowed like that. I would much rather see it spent back on raising teachers salaries. Teachers union such a waste of good money in my humble opinion.
Of course the union’s get money to the politicians.. Why do you think there is so much legislation to give them more power. It is all about money not about principle.