When even consistently left-of-center columnists such as Newsweek‘s Jonathan Alter and TIME‘s Joe Klein recognize the problems posed by too-powerful teachers’ unions, it should cause us concern that success in the president’s “Race To The Top” education program seems tied closely to union support.
Frederick M. Hess discusses the issue in the latest dead-tree edition of National Review:
Delaware’s and Tennessee’s [winning] plans were serious, and notable for their commitment to using student test scores in evaluating and paying teachers. But, as the Washington Post observed in a story headlined “In Race to the Top, It Helps to Wear the Union Label,” their applications were most noteworthy for obtaining nonbinding pledges of support from 100 percent of superintendents, school boards, and teachers’ union locals (well, 93 percent of union locals in Tennessee). By contrast, early favorites like Florida and Louisiana suffered when unions and school boards denounced their blog proposals.
The National Education Association expressed its delight at the outcome, crowing, “Department of Education Sends Clear Message That Collaboration of All Stakeholders Is Key.” The president of the Florida Education Association pounced, saying that if Florida reformers were serious about winning round-two RTTT dollars, they had better scrap an ambitious teacher-quality bill then before the legislature that would, among other reforms, institute merit pay for teachers and phase out tenure. Unsurprisingly, if unions are given an effective veto over reform plans, not much true reform will take place.
