Los Angeles Teacher’s Union Still Doesn’t Get It

How Can People This Stupid be Teaching Our Kids

The anti public employee union movement is in full swing in the country.  Despite the fact that public employees are dedicated men and women providing vital services, the public has largely turned against them.  Part of the cause of this is greed and exploitation of the issue by Conservatives who proclaim public employees are consuming everyone’s tax dollars and preventing tax cuts.

But another part of the problem, in fact a large part of the problem is the public employee unions themselves, particularly some of the teachers’ unions.  These unions have said to the public in no uncertain terms that they are putting their own well being ahead of the well being of their students.  And no matter how sympathetic and supportive any citizen is of the public teaching profession, no one will tolerate this attitude.

The Los Angeles United School District recently applied for a $30 million Federal grant.  But they did not get it, and here’s why.

Participation by the teachers union was required and United Teachers Los Angeles would not sign on, citing concerns that Race to the Top could commit the school system to long-term spending not covered by the grant. Union leaders in L.A. and elsewhere also were concerned such a grant could commit them to the use of student test scores as part of a teacher’s evaluation.

Now how exactly does this help anyone but the teacher’s union in LA?  And how does it send any message except that the teacher’s union, and by extension public school teachers don't really care about getting more resources for the school district?  And finally, how does it not do anything except engender dislike, distrust and anti-teacher feelings with parents and taxpayers alike?  One wonders if the union ‘high fived’ itself after it defeated an attempt to get a $40 million grant for the school system?

Oh yes, and what about the competition?

Green Dot Public Schools, which operates 18 charter schools, remains in the running for a “Race to the Top” grant, the U.S. Department of Education announced Monday. If successful, Green Dot could receive $30 million over a four-year period. . . .

No union issue arose with Green Dot, whose teachers voted in May, after much debate, to accept student data in teacher evaluations. 

In Wisconsin, a progressive state the citizens voted in an anti-union Governor, and voted to keep him in despite a huge union campaign to recall him.  Are you getting the message teachers union?  If not, here it is,

EVERYONE WANTS TO SUPPORT EDUCATION AND TEACHERS, BUT ONLY IF THE TEACHERS AND THE SYSTEM HAS PLACED THE HIGHEST PRIORITY ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.

There, something simple enough even a misguided teacher's union should be able to read.