When teacher groups unite, look out
January 27, 2008
Karl Priest
When teacher groups unite, look out
The last time the American Federation of Teachers and the West
Virginia Education Association played footsie, they were going
against a poll of their own members that supported criticism of
evolution. The time before that they combined for a statewide
teacher strike.
The last time the American Federation of Teachers and the West
Virginia Education Association played footsie, they were going
against a poll of their own members that supported criticism of
evolution. The time before that they combined for a statewide
teacher strike. Previous history of WVEA and AFT collusion is
foreboding for West Virginia citizens.
Now, a perfect storm is stirring on the educational front. The
ingredients are teachers angry over pay, an entrenched left-wing
agenda, lack of moral standards (the Nitro book issue for example),
low student performance and a dangerous environment.
Teacher quality probably is distributed on a bell curve.
Some teachers are wonderful and deserve a six-figure salary.
On the other end of the scale are teachers who should receive
a little above minimum wage. Some of those should not be in the
profession and rely upon teacher union protection.
Good teachers punish themselves by being in unions that lock
them into a non-performance pay system. If the talented teachers
ever start entrepreneurial schools, the public schools will face
the results of competition.
Sadly, teachers remain in teacher unions that promote a left-wing
agenda that most teachers deplore. The excuses of "insurance"
and "grievance representation" are not valid. There
are other options. If anyone should have felt threatened by administrative
reprisal, it would have been me. I had no need of the WVEA/AFT
for the last several years of my career.
On State of the State night, teachers chanted (one with a bullhorn)
for more pay. I agree with the AFT/WVEA that West Virginia faces
a crisis. However, the crisis is not due to the level of teacher
pay.
For the second year in a row, Gov. Manchin called for tougher
anti-bullying rules. I taught for 35 years and we never had to
designate a special anti-bullying category. The ever-present bullies
were regulated by general school rules. The difference now is
that "anti-bullying" is really code for "homosexual
agenda."
I personally witnessed state government stealth tactics to implement
a pro-homosexual program in Kanawha County Schools. That agenda
is fully supported by teacher unions. If Gov. Manchin does not
have a hidden agenda, his remarks should still cause concern for
parents.
In the governor's own words: "I am determined to ... give
our teachers every possible tool they need to take back their
classrooms." That means that children are in serious danger
of physical or verbal attack. From my experience in the public
schools, he is right.
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