GilfordGrok

It's always for the teachers union children!

Most peoples' reactions to the word "teacher" is the kindly school marm (apologies to the other gender) smiling broadly at her little charges, apple on the desk (at least, that's my reaction).  For the individual teacher, for the most part, it works.

However, teachers unions, it's a different story.  No longer is it an individual face that a parent interacts with during parent - teacher conferences.  Now, it is one of the largest unions in the country and they do like to throw their weight around.  Perhaps others in town may not know, but the overall budget of the NEA is $345 million dollars.  Of that amount, the national organization will spend up to 1/3 of that on political stuff (e.g., ballot initiatives, media, et al).  The average compensation per NEA employee is around $196, 000 for over 560 people - not bad for "it's for the children".  And your tax money is the fuel for this salary structure.

And then this in the Citizen from a couple of weeks ago (Citizen, 7/17/08) concerning the Laconia School District:

Schedule spurs dispute with LEA

Article Date: Thursday, July 17, 2008

As students prepare for this fall's implementation of a new block scheduling program at Laconia High School, the district's teachers union is urging the state Labor Board to squash the plan until school district negotiators are willing to bargain over the changes proposed in it.

"We wrote to them three times in three separate letters from mid-February through the end of March (asking them) to bargain with us ... they refused to do it," said Dick Coggon, a consultant to the Laconia Education Association and the union's co-grievance chair.

So, is this an expression of "it's for the children", or "it's for the union"?  I keep hearing that teachers only wish is to do what is in the best interest of children's education; here's an example where management believes that for this to happen, a change has to happen.  If one is to believe the first expression, why is not the union agreeing and try to put its best foot forward for those children?

Because it becomes quite obvious it is not for the children.....it is about who has the power.  Nothing more, and nothing less.

[snip]

An unfair labor practice challenge filed against the Laconia School District by the Laconia Education Association (LEA) concerning the new "block" schedule was brought before a state hearings officer on July 15 and that individual's recommendation will be forwarded to the state Public Employee Labor Relations Board for its review.

Teachers' union leaders say the decision on the matter is expected to come in mid-August.

On April 24 the LEA filed an unfair labor practice against the school district for allegedly refusing to bargain over a block schedule change will increase the number of classes students can take each year to bolster the graduation credit requirement.

On the same day the union filed a formal grievance with the school district on its implementation of a block schedule it contends violates three sections of the collective bargaining agreement.

Teachers union officials say the new block scheduling requires them to teach more classes and argue items relating to wages, hours, terms and conditions of employment are all a mandatory subject of collective bargaining.

Under the former schedule teachers taught five classes throughout an entire year. The new block system has them teaching three classes in two semesters, totaling six. There has been debate over whether the change produces more teaching hours with students based on the length of classes and free periods...

There is often the mantra from the teachers that they want to be treated as "professionals".  Well, there seems to be a few things missing, as in "not getting the concept":

• In general, teachers make about the same wage when translated to an hourly basis as most other professionals. 
• Professionals who are salaried are generally are expected to "get the job done" - the work load may require more hours and / or effort than normal.  I've worked a 30 hour week a few times.  More often, is been 60 - 100 hours in a week. Professionals know that this will happen from time to time.  Whining about having to do more (above and beyond the normal grumbling the rest of us do) when needed doesn't help your cause, as you'll still be in school about the same amount of time. 
  
• And yes, we all put in unpaid overtime, so don't start in with me - you'll lose that battle from the get-go.
  
• If you really feel that way, that you want to be treated like other professionals, why the heck are you staying in a union?  Professionals in the private sector, whose salaries you covet, go to the highest bidder / employer - that's what capitalism is and rewards.  None of this wanting white collar wages and acting in a blue collar style.
  

Can't have it both ways.But the NEA does try as it shows in the Wall Street Journal editorial:

Teachers' unions are expert at presenting the interests of their members and of public school students as one and the same. Which is why it's always illuminating to see how the nation's largest teachers' union, the National Education Association, spends its political money.

Each year, NEA members pay into a "Ballot Measure/Legislative Crises Fund" that allows the union to spend tens of millions of dollars on all manner of state and national political issues. Mike Antonucci of the Education Intelligence Agency [Note: the unions hate this guy, but he is seldom proved wrong  -Skip], a longtime union watchdog, has tracked this fund's spending. In the 2007-08 fiscal year, not surprisingly, the NEA spent $2.3 million -- on top of $1 million spent the previous fiscal year -- fighting a school voucher referendum in Utah.

How many textbooks would $3.3 million dollars buy?  How many new classrooms could be built and equiped?  Man, that would be a lot of classroom materials, wouldn't it?

But other expenditures reveal this national NEA cash -- which is separate from PAC contributions that must adhere to federal campaign-finance laws -- as a fund for various and sundry left-wing political causes. Mr. Antonucci reports that during the current fiscal year the NEA sent the Hawaii State Teachers Association $20,000 to conduct polling on a state constitutional convention. It sent the Massachusetts Teachers Association $60,000 to oppose a state income-tax repeal. And it sent the Florida Education Association $200,000 to oppose property-tax cuts in the Sunshine State.

In other words, the NEA actively lobbies to keep your taxes high!  Why?  Simple - more taxes generally means either higher salaries or more bodies to belong to the union.  And then the cycle positively feeds back on itself.

That's one reason why trying to protect Jane and Joe Six-Pack's income can get so difficult - so many special interests, teachers among them, clamoring for a bigger slice of the pie - your pie.

Expect more of the same going forward in a state near you. "Unlike most previous years," writes Mr. Antonucci, "NEA finished 2007-08 with a surplus of nearly $5.9 million, which means the union will enter the 2008-09 school year with almost $20 million available to spend."

It's a shame the NEA doesn't spend as much money and effort trying to improve lousy schools as it does trying to keep taxes high.

Oh, another thing - professionals generally do what their bosses say, instead of always retreating to a union steward when business conditions change.  Or, they move on to greener hills.

And that's why school vouchers are so unappealing to the NEA and the AFT - it threatens their power when parents can use the power of capitalism and consumer choice to send their kids where they think it best.

Every child deserves a publicly funded education.