Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
Speaking last month in San Francisco, AEI President Arthur Brooks argued that one of the most important wars that champions of the free enterprise system must fight and win is the one over America's education system. And winning over public opinion, which is the first step toward achieving any meaningful educational reform, requires that the case for reform be made in moral terms, rather than numerical ones. In other words, "we can't afford it" as an argument loses every time when pitted against "but think of the children!" Therefore, asserts Brooks, we need to argue for an education system that works for our children, not the teachers unions.
What does a system that works for students rather than the unions look like? For starters, refer to the education reforms Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal accomplished this year in the Pelican State. And Jindal isn't alone. In his Wall Street Journal column today, Bill McGurn introduces us to Idaho's superintendent of public instruction, Tom Luna, who helped push legislation called "Students Come First" through the state legislature last spring.
Thus the so-called Luna laws now restrict collective bargaining to salary and benefits, phase out tenure and force teacher contract negotiations out in the open. They also eliminate a practice that across America operates largely to protect bad teachers and keep good ones out of the classroom: the last-hired, first-fired system of seniority.
The other two prongs of Students Come First deal mostly with quality. New merit-pay provisions mean that teachers can earn up to $8,000 a year extra for serving in hard-to-fill positions, taking on leadership positions, or helping their schools boost student achievement. The technology part has to do with ensuring that students and teachers in any part of Idaho have access to the best instruction available.
For his efforts, Mr. Luna has suffered vandalism to his personal property and faced [failed] union attempts to recall him from his position. Now, his legislation faces repeal in Idaho's November election. The outcome of this battle may have big implications for the entire nation, and is certainly one to watch.
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Jun '10
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
What if an auto company was run like our public schools are? Oh, wait, it's been tried:
Sep '10
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
Education reformers need to make sure Idaho gets on the national radar screen to get the funds necessary to help thwart the recall effort there.
After Wisconsin and the union shenanigans there, teachers unions are on the ropes. The good ones who truly care about their profession will do like they did in Wisconsin and abandon the union mentality (i.e., not pay dues).
It really wouldn't hurt if our presidential candidate made a stop in Idaho and one other place: Washington DC. In DC he could point out how the President tried to kill the voucher program there, but for the efforts of John Boehner. After all, if the school is good enough for Obama's daughters, why isn't it good enough for poor children? This could be a Solyndra like event that would shake the Democrats to the core, since it would point out a major hypocrisy on their part as the supposed champions of the poor.
Jun '10
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
Teachers' unions are just one part of the problem. Students are amassing enormous debt from student loan programs that are financially unsustainable now that the federal gov't has a new source of funds to spend on non-educational programs - just like the Social Security fund that was raided for decades by Capitol Hill. Those who want an education not an indoctrination need to send a message with where they place their money. And private corporations need to wake up and determine whether the existing system is in their best interest and worth the billions they're throwing at it. I've argued in another post weeks ago that in order to shake up the system competition to that system needs to emerge. There are more efficient ways of educating oneself, especially in the liberal arts. More technical disciplines - the sciences, engineering, architecture require specialized instruction and accreditation but a competing model of accreditation is not beyond the realm of possibility if a consortium of companies see the value of nurturing talent on an alternate route to it beyond the entrenched, union-tainted and heavily Marxist-influenced academy.
Edited on June 27, 2012 at 5:49amMay '10
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
Here's a really great piece by RiShawn Biddle, someone to keep an eye on in the education reform world.
Channeling William Wilberforce, or Why We Must Be Evangelicals for Reform:
http://dropoutnation.net/2012/06/25/channeling-william-wilberforce-or-why-we-must-be-evangelicals-for-reform/
Jun '12
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
I am a unicorn, a mythical creature that you have heard about but never seen. I am a conservative-middle-school-science teacher. Most teachers see the poor student performance; they just don’t realize that they are to blame.
Two years ago I awoke in a panic. I realized that I had been lulled to sleep. I had learned to be quiet and wait. I was ashamed of myself. No more! I began to speak out. What I found was that more teachers think like me than I would have imagined. We have chosen to take matters into our own hands. We are meeting outside school contract hours (shocking!) and creating a plan to save our school. We have sought training from a business leadership expert (OMG) to train and guide us in success visioning. She has agreed to help us pro bono.
Our simple goal: change our school from a building where teachers teach, into a community where students learn. Well, it’s simple to say anyway. As we begin, it seems that the key may actually be surprisingly simple. (note: simple and easy are not synonyms) Refuse to accept mediocrity from students, administrators, ourselves, and parents.
Dec '11
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
If you have netflix, watch a flick called "the cartel"
Its is about the only thing politically that has roused me to the point of wanting to hurl a brick.
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
Good point, Brian, but higher education is an entirely different beast. I think that Jindal's reforms and the ones discussed here in Idaho are meant to tackle the morass in primary and secondary education.
Re: Education That Works for Students, Not Unions
Mark Green: I am a unicorn, a mythical creature that you have heard about but never seen. I am a conservative-middle-school-science teacher. Most teachers see the poor student performance; they just don’t realize that they are to blame.
Two years ago I awoke in a panic. I realized that I had been lulled to sleep. I had learned to be quiet and wait. I was ashamed of myself. No more! I began to speak out. What I found was that more teachers think like me than I would have imagined. We have chosen to take matters into our own hands. We are meeting outside school contract hours (shocking!) and creating a plan to save our school. We have sought training from a business leadership expert (OMG) to train and guide us in success visioning. She has agreed to help us pro bono.
Our simple goal: change our school from a building where teachers teach, into a community where students learn. Well, it’s simple to say anyway...
Wow, this is fascinating, Mark. I'd like to hear more about this if you're up for writing a post about your efforts on the Member Feed!