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Society for Quality Education

Cherchez l’argent and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the power

March 25, 2013 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at 05:26 AM

Tunya poses a number of questions in her comment on yesterday's blog and I will do my best to answer two of them.

1. Why are the teachers' unions opposed to school choice.

Would you expect a hungry tiger to take pity on those cute little gazelle babies and not eat them? Would you expect goutweed not to invade your gorgeous garden with its lush, rich soil? These are rhetorical questions designed to demonstrate that everybody and everything pursues his/her/its own best interest. In the case of the teachers' unions, school choice would result in reduced membership and power. QED, they oppose it.

2. Why do legislators knuckle under to the teachers' unions?

See above. The teachers' unions are very rich and powerful. They have lots of money to contribute to political campaigns, as well as armies of foot soldiers to knock on doors and participate in mail-outs. Politicians who cross the teachers' unions risk not being re-elected.

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Its not just the teachers’ union - but all the stakeholders within the public education model.

The school boards

The education ministries

The teacher faculties

The teachers’ unions

Each stakeholder representing part and parcel of the political influence over all aspects of education. but more importantly, to maintain the existing education model as is - the status-quo because it provides the greatest amount of political influence and authority to control all aspects of what will be and not be in providing a public education.

Not so much knuckling under to teachers’ union, but more of keeping and maintaining the political and social power of the public education system, and each of the four education stakeholders.

Otherwise, the dismantling of home economics, wood shop and other technology infrastructure would not have occurred in the high schools across the country.  For that matter, education quality being reduced to the minimum legal requirements under the education act. Its in the best interests of the education stakeholders to provide less at the expense of the students and by extension society.

Who benefits?  The education stakeholders, their salaries and the many agendas within the education system model.

Posted by Nancy on 03/25 at 07:57 AM

The teachers also make powerful and personal relationships with progressive parents groups and school councils.

When politicians of any stripe attack either teacher or education funding, the teachers make sure the blame for the resulting chaos is laid at the feel of the government,  no bill 117, no loss of extra curriculars. Parents revolt from chaos in education and blame the instigator, the government.

The governmrnts popularity begins to fall the policy is abandoned or mitigsted.

McGuinty and Duncan are gone because they attacked teacher. Period. The Liberals are well aware of this.

Posted by joe on 04/01 at 02:58 AM

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