Union Issues

Unions are great, they really are. But I believe unions have their time and their place. Those times and places should not involve students.

To give you a bit of backstory, the teachers union at my school is severely butting heads with the district, due to the fact that the district is attempting to postpone negotiations regarding salary and the teacher evaluation system until after School Board Elections. Of course, this is a straight-up douche bag move and pretty damn idiotic of them. They are also shoving the idea of "iPad integration" down the throats of all teachers, classrooms, and students in the district, which is also completely idiotic and further proves that the district is seriously not listening to what the teachers and students are saying. I mean, let's be real. The middle school in my district, who jumped in head-first into this iPad education thing, had a drop of 18 points on their API score this year. EIGHTEEN POINTS. The largest drop they've had, ever. Clearly something is wrong and clearly the district refuses to see past their bureaucracy. 

I support teachers because I believe that they are truly a foundation of success and growth later on in life. But in reaction to all this bull that the district has been pulling, they have refused to work past their pay. Their doors are closed at lunch, meaning school clubs cannot meet in classrooms. This is the second time they have done something like this. Last year it was a bit more dramatic, they wouldn't do any letters of recommendation for the seniors. Obviously, this method got the district to meet the teachers halfway, but I think it was still morally wrong.

To use students and their parents as political pawns? To utilize their anger and frustration as a means to an end? I don't approve of the teachers' actions. Teachers do noble things, but that does not make it right for them to pull cruddy political moves. This is in no means ok. Some might say that this is all about the students and their well being, BUT it still does not give teachers to, in essence, use students as leverage to get whatever they want, in this case, it's higher salary and an upper hand in negotiations. Some might even proclaim that teachers were basically boxed in a corner, and this move is a move of desperation. Once? Maybe. But twice? I don't think so. This is the second sequential year that the teachers have pulled this move. This doesn't look like desperation to me, it looks like savvy political strategy.

So, my conclusion is that both parties are at fault here. The district and the administration continue to be, well, the district and the administration, and teachers now think it's ok to pull moves like these. I say that the district needs to man up, keep to their word, and be straight forward with the Teachers Union. They deserve that much. In addition, I think the Teachers Union needs to cut the crap and stop using pupils to their political advantage. It's not right. It's not ok. Be truthful teachers, you are not getting the students involved to benefit them, you are using them to get what you want, which has nothing to do with our education and has everything to do with the size of your wallet and the benefits you receive. Do I believe that teachers need a higher salary and more benefits? Yes, absolutely. But do I validate their current actions? Do I think it's ok to use students as political leverage? Heck no.