TEACHERS are in a never-ending Groundhog’s Day situation when they rely on the same old union strong-arm tactics to get a few extra crumbs from the Legislature.
The citizens of West Virginia have always honored teachers and willingly allowed their elected representatives to pay teachers the maximum the state can afford.
But reality is that it is impossible for all teachers to be paid $70,000 if most West Virginians only make about $35,000.
One education policy analyst, Dr. Vicki Murray, pointed out that “Since 1983, when ‘A Nation at Risk’ concluded that ‘the professional working life of teachers is on the whole unacceptable,’ little has changed.”
Murray blamed it largely on teachers unions.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs believes that teachers unions are what is wrong with public schools. He feels no amount of technology in the classroom can overcome the effects of teachers unions protecting bad teachers.
I spent over 20 years as a member of teachers unions – mostly the West Virginia Education Association.
During the infamous statewide teacher strike, I was an ardent picket captain.
I finally came to my senses, and now strongly believe there is no hope for education as long as teachers unions maintain power.
I left the union for the last 10 or so years of my career and proved the teachers union is an unnecessary entity.
Now I strongly believe the teachers unions are contributing to the ruination of America.
Christian and/or conservative teachers should abandon teachers unions without delay.
They should act as a matter of ethics, but will give themselves an immediate salary increase by eliminating the hefty dues (over $400) paid to the unions.
Most teachers are motivated by their love of helping kids, but there is nothing wrong with teachers wanting some of the things normally associated with other professionals.
Besides the limitations of taxpayer money, the shackles attached by the teacher unions are the reasons teachers have difficulty being paid like professionals.
The condition of the teaching profession will never change unless teachers break free from the unions.
I taught with some wonderful educators who were woefully underpaid, but there were too many amongst us who were a pox on the profession. All of those teachers were paid the same, based upon a non-performance formula fervently protected by the unions.
The natural progression – and great desire of the WVEA and AFT – is collective bargaining, which will lead to union-pressured labor contracts that will bust even a gambling-enriched state budget.
Teachers unions promote abortion choice, but will not tolerate teachers having choices that would allow the cream to rise to the top.
A former Michigan Teacher of the Year was censured by her state affiliate of the NEA for advocating pay based upon performance.
A New York teachers union was ready to give John Stossel an award before his revealing series “Stupid in America” revealed union shenanigans.
I urge everyone to read Stossel’s hilarious comments about the teachers union’s reaction to his expose.
Teachers unions want to restrict parental choice also.
A union leader made the outrageous statement that parents should not be allowed to teach their children at taxpayer expense.
In other words, the teachers unions want to reach into the taxpayer’s pockets for money the unions can use as their own.
Unions have filled lawsuits to stop online learning programs.
If parents get serious about removing their children from government schools, the teachers unions will undoubtedly try to stop them.
There is no one method of education that is best for all children. Parents and teachers must be free to choose.
Educational choice for teachers and parents would allow competition for teacher salary and benefits. Attractive career choices would get the attention of the best and brightest future teachers.
If teachers ever use a free market, then we will finally see the good ones paid what they deserve.
Teachers should also abandon the unions because of the left-wing agendas the unions promote.
Most teachers I know would not donate a dime toward some of the causes their union dues promote.
The local union affiliates have consistently worked to support obscenity and evolutionism in instructional materials.
The AFT is against stating that marriage is between one man and one woman, and they are pressuring the Boy Scouts to compromise their values regarding homosexuality, which aligns the AFT with groups that want to ban Boy Scout use of school facilities.
The NEA has to tread lightly regarding how aggressive they get in promoting left-wing causes because of potential member revolt.
The NEA had to remove some content on its Remember September 11th Web site.
It is time for teachers to break free from the teachers union-controlled public schools.
Teachers of retirement age have wonderful opportunities to apply their previously stifled skills.
They can volunteer to tutor home-school students, teach in a Christian school, or open up their own for-profit educational business and run things the way they proclaimed they should be run.
Teachers remaining in the system may survive under union bondage, but they can thrive in the promised land of non-union freedom.
Teachers unions are the big problem
Karl Priest
TEACHERS are in a never-ending Groundhog’s Day situation when they rely on the same old union strong-arm tactics to get a few extra crumbs from the Legislature.
The citizens of West Virginia have always honored teachers and willingly allowed their elected representatives to pay teachers the maximum the state can afford.
But reality is that it is impossible for all teachers to be paid $70,000 if most West Virginians only make about $35,000.
One education policy analyst, Dr. Vicki Murray, pointed out that “Since 1983, when ‘A Nation at Risk’ concluded that ‘the professional working life of teachers is on the whole unacceptable,’ little has changed.”
Murray blamed it largely on teachers unions.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs believes that teachers unions are what is wrong with public schools. He feels no amount of technology in the classroom can overcome the effects of teachers unions protecting bad teachers.
I spent over 20 years as a member of teachers unions – mostly the West Virginia Education Association.
During the infamous statewide teacher strike, I was an ardent picket captain.
I finally came to my senses, and now strongly believe there is no hope for education as long as teachers unions maintain power.
I left the union for the last 10 or so years of my career and proved the teachers union is an unnecessary entity.
Now I strongly believe the teachers unions are contributing to the ruination of America.
Christian and/or conservative teachers should abandon teachers unions without delay.
They should act as a matter of ethics, but will give themselves an immediate salary increase by eliminating the hefty dues (over $400) paid to the unions.
Most teachers are motivated by their love of helping kids, but there is nothing wrong with teachers wanting some of the things normally associated with other professionals.
Besides the limitations of taxpayer money, the shackles attached by the teacher unions are the reasons teachers have difficulty being paid like professionals.
The condition of the teaching profession will never change unless teachers break free from the unions.
I taught with some wonderful educators who were woefully underpaid, but there were too many amongst us who were a pox on the profession. All of those teachers were paid the same, based upon a non-performance formula fervently protected by the unions.
The natural progression – and great desire of the WVEA and AFT – is collective bargaining, which will lead to union-pressured labor contracts that will bust even a gambling-enriched state budget.
Teachers unions promote abortion choice, but will not tolerate teachers having choices that would allow the cream to rise to the top.
A former Michigan Teacher of the Year was censured by her state affiliate of the NEA for advocating pay based upon performance.
A New York teachers union was ready to give John Stossel an award before his revealing series “Stupid in America” revealed union shenanigans.
I urge everyone to read Stossel’s hilarious comments about the teachers union’s reaction to his expose.
Teachers unions want to restrict parental choice also.
A union leader made the outrageous statement that parents should not be allowed to teach their children at taxpayer expense.
In other words, the teachers unions want to reach into the taxpayer’s pockets for money the unions can use as their own.
Unions have filled lawsuits to stop online learning programs.
If parents get serious about removing their children from government schools, the teachers unions will undoubtedly try to stop them.
There is no one method of education that is best for all children. Parents and teachers must be free to choose.
Educational choice for teachers and parents would allow competition for teacher salary and benefits. Attractive career choices would get the attention of the best and brightest future teachers.
If teachers ever use a free market, then we will finally see the good ones paid what they deserve.
Teachers should also abandon the unions because of the left-wing agendas the unions promote.
Most teachers I know would not donate a dime toward some of the causes their union dues promote.
The local union affiliates have consistently worked to support obscenity and evolutionism in instructional materials.
The AFT is against stating that marriage is between one man and one woman, and they are pressuring the Boy Scouts to compromise their values regarding homosexuality, which aligns the AFT with groups that want to ban Boy Scout use of school facilities.
The NEA has to tread lightly regarding how aggressive they get in promoting left-wing causes because of potential member revolt.
The NEA had to remove some content on its Remember September 11th Web site.
It is time for teachers to break free from the teachers union-controlled public schools.
Teachers of retirement age have wonderful opportunities to apply their previously stifled skills.
They can volunteer to tutor home-school students, teach in a Christian school, or open up their own for-profit educational business and run things the way they proclaimed they should be run.
Teachers remaining in the system may survive under union bondage, but they can thrive in the promised land of non-union freedom.
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.