I feel like giving more power to school principals and trusting them to make non-standardized-test-based judgment calls is a solution but unions are terrified of it for whatever reason.
On the one hand, the teacher's unions are the only people who stand up for teachers, a job that would otherwise be whittled away in pay and benefits until only an idiot would take the job. On the other hand, union leadership's primary concern seems to be protecting bad teachers and retirement benefits.
My mother fought both the district and the union. Her specialty was learning disabled kids. Non standard everything. In a world that demands standardization.
I'm very pro labor, pro teacher, but have many grievances with the teachers unions. Like every other self-preserving group (cops, gangs), they can't show weakness.
I get it. I have many union friends. They're assaulted from every side. All sorts of contradictory demands, without any concessions or compromises offered.
I believe in my heart the only way for teaching to be reformed is for the teacher unions to get out in front of the reform issue, instead of digging in. Like the french cliche, Do or be done.
Unfortunately, there are few professions more susceptible to fads than education. "Reform" for most teachers is "Been there, done that, it sucked. Just let me get back to teaching."
Meaning there'd be near zero consensus on a reform platform.
I feel like giving more power to school principals and trusting them to make non-standardized-test-based judgment calls is a solution but unions are terrified of it for whatever reason.
On the one hand, the teacher's unions are the only people who stand up for teachers, a job that would otherwise be whittled away in pay and benefits until only an idiot would take the job. On the other hand, union leadership's primary concern seems to be protecting bad teachers and retirement benefits.