TEACHERS UNIONS: A DRIVING FORCE, OR A ROAD BLOCK TO SUCCESS?

By: Kyle Davis

Union Facts NEA Membership- 3.2 million (2009)

341 million total budget (2005)

AFT Membership- 890,000 (2009) 107.6 Million Dollars in Assets (2009)

Where do they get their money?

295 million dollars out of 341 million dollar budget in 2005 came from member dues (NEA)

Issue #1- Increase Pay for Teachers

Through its nationwide salary initiative, NEA is advocating for a $40,000 starting salary for all pre-K-12 teachers, and appropriate professional pay for higher education faculty and staff.

Issue #1- Increase Pay for Teachers

Through its nationwide salary initiative, NEA is advocating for a $40,000 starting salary for all pre-K-12 teachers, and appropriate professional pay for higher education faculty and staff.This is because teachers are extremely underpaid…. Right??

In the April 13th edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, an article ran about the state of the Silicon Valley. Housing prices were up so high that young teachers just could not possibly live there, so they were moving away at high rates.

In the April 13th edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, an article ran about the state of the Silicon Valley. Housing prices were up so high that young teachers just could not possibly live there, so they were moving away at high rates.So what’s the problem with this??

In the April 13th edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, an article ran about the state of the Silicon Valley. Housing prices were up so high that young teachers just could not possibly live there, so they were moving away at high rates.So what’s the problem with this??

A few years later, after the Internet boom was a fading memory, The San Jose Mercury News ran an article titled “Teacher Housing Crisis a Myth.” At the peak of the Internet Boom, 96% of the Silicon

Valley’s teachers lived there. About 2/3 of the teachers owned their own homes. Teachers owned homes at a higher rate than many

other professions, including software engineers, network administrators, and accountants.

The reason given for all of this? The “pay scales” used to pay teachers.

Teachers Are Underpaid, Right? In a 2003, Richard Vedder published a

study in Education Next, undermining the myth that teachers are underpaid. Using data on household median earnings

from the U.S. Department of Labor, he compared teachers with seven other professional occupations: accountants, biological and life scientists, registered nurses, social workers, lawyers and judges, artists, and editors and reporters.

Teachers Are Underpaid, Right? In a 2003, Richard Vedder published a

study in Education Next, undermining the myth that teachers are underpaid. Using data on household median earnings

from the U.S. Department of Labor, he compared teachers with seven other professional occupations: accountants, biological and life scientists, registered nurses, social workers, lawyers and judges, artists, and editors and reporters.And what did he find out?

Social WorkersFirefighters

NursesBiologists

Civil EngineersChemists

Elementary TeachersHigh School Teachers

DentistsLawyers

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 4517.2117.91

24.5728.0729.4530.6830.7531.01

35.5144.02

Hourly Pay

Hourly Pay

And about that pay scale… Teachers Unions fight tooth and nail

against merit pay.

Issue #3- Preserve Tenure In most states, tenure is granted to the

teacher after 3 years of teaching. In many cases, such as in Colorado, certain

standards and reviews are in place before being granted tenure.

Issue #3- Preserve Tenure In most states, tenure is granted to the

teacher after 3 years of teaching. In many cases, such as in Colorado, certain

standards and reviews are in place before being granted tenure.

Teachers are government employees.

Issue #3- Preserve Tenure In most states, tenure is granted to the

teacher after 3 years of teaching. In many cases, such as in Colorado, certain

standards and reviews are in place before being granted tenure.

Teachers are government employees.

There is NO private company that offers tenure!!!

Why would unions continue to push for tenure, despite the fact that public opinion is mounting against it? Where do the teachers unions get their

money? Should there be any sort of public

accountability from the unions? Are there any reasonable alternatives to

tenure?

My big issue? They are BULLIES!!

Is it about the kids? If not, what is it about?