Why Do People Hate Teachers Unions? Because They Hate Teachers.

[n2doc]

by Corey Robin


Like Doug Henwood, I’ve spent the last few days trying to figure out why people—particularly liberals and pseudo-liberals in the chattering classes—hate teachers unions. One could of course take these people at their word—they care about the kids, they worry that strikes hurt the kids, and so on—but since we never hear a peep out of them about the fact that students have to swelter through 98-degree weather in jam-packed classes without air conditioning, I’m not so inclined.

Forgive me then if I essay an admittedly more impressionistic analysis drawn from my own experience.

Like many of these journalists, I hail from an upper middle class background. I grew up in Chappaqua, an affluent suburb of New York. My parents moved there in 1975 for the schools, which were—and I believe still are—terrific. From elementary school through senior year, I had some of the best teachers I’ve ever encountered.

Two of my social studies teachers—Allan Damon and Tom Corwin—had more of an impact on me than any professor I ever had in college or grad school. In their classes, I read Richard Hofstadter’s Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, E.H. Carr’s What Is History?, Michael Kammen’s People of Paradox, Hobbes, Locke, Richard Hakluyt, Albert Thayer Mahan, and more. When I got to college, I found that I was considerably better prepared than my classmates, many of whom had gone to elite private schools in Manhattan and elsewhere. It’s safe to say I would never have become an academic were it not for these two men.


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http://coreyrobin.com/2012/09/12/why-people-do-hate-teachers-unions-because-they-hate-teachers/

while I disagree with the term 'liberal' in her first paragraph (it ideally applies across political lines) this is a good rant

[ladjf]

1. I believe that people expect teachers to work for substandard pay because they are supposed

to be "dedicated to noble service" rather than money. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Why don't we have that attitude about doctors?

[ladjf]

7. Supply and demand for the skill sets in the medical professions stops the same thing from

happening. In the case of educators, it's very difficult to measure teaching skills. The training is less rigorous than for doctors.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. I think it's because of the AMA.

It's more like a guild than a union. Teachers unions should function more like guilds and implement and enforce the professionalism of teaching. That's more like how the AMA functions.

[ladjf]

11. Good points. nt

[AnneD]

8. We have that attitude toward Nurses.....

There are some historical reasons for this. But nurses these days take the same beginning course as pre med student. We have to take continuing education courses, frequently on our own dime to maintain our license which we also have to pay. And let's not forget malpractice insurance. Even Nurses are subject to lawsuits. We lose our livelihood, our home, and what ever else we have set aside.

When Nursing strikes happen it is usually for unsafe conditions and forced overtime. Strikes are well published ahead of time, and yet the management and the media mouthpiece portrays the Nurses as greedy and uncaring for patient needs. They always talk of how the strike will break the hospital?

Did you know that hospitals purchase strike insurance and that pays for scab Nurse replacements? Many people don't know that gem and hospitals want it that way.

I support any striking worker. In this climate today, I trust their reasons more than managements.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Yep

[ladjf]

12. Excellent points. I knew several nursing students in college. I sometimes mentioned to them

that since they are taking the same basic science courses that the med students take, they might as well go for an M.D.

[AnneD]

14. I tutored....

several pre-mad students that went on to med school. Nurses don't get the respect for their smarts that they should.

In the 70'2 Ms did a groundbreaking study equating 'women's jobs' to 'men's jobs' and the salaries for both. Nursing was compared to engineering and the difference in pay was astounding. At first, I disagreed with the engineering, but the more complex the equipment becomes, the more I see that it is engineering. BYW, I frequently do my own repairs, be it automotive, electrical, etc. When I call in the professional, I can pretty much tell them what the problem is and where it is.

I have known many an engineer, but I have known very few engineers that can teach and communicate as well as Nurses. Comparatively, the pay stinks. Thank God my daughter learned from my choices.

Edited to add: Nursing skills, like teaching skills, is not truly appreciated by this society. Women's skills and talents are the glue that binds society togather.

[ladjf]

15. Excellent post. Thank you.

[iemitsu]

2. imo. accurate observations about the teacher's role in american society.

especially if one lives and works in an affluent community.
but there are other adults who respect teachers and what they do.
i have had both wealthy parents and those with few resources show me gratitude and friendship. they have offered to help raise funds to provide enrichment activities and have included me in family celebrations.
i want those parents who have appreciated a teacher or two to know that your support provides much of the fuel that keeps us going.
thank you.
but it is obvious that many in society view teachers in negative ways.
i often think that teachers are expected to devote their lives to their students. a priesthood of sorts. if a teacher did all that was expected of her/him she/he would not have time for a family or even a hobby.
that is what is expected, but the reality is that even if teachers could live up to the communities expectations it would still not be enough to meet the student's needs.
teaching is a rewarding experience and i have felt more validation as a teacher than in any other role; however, the continual attacks and increased work loads are becoming overwhelming.

[MichiganVote]

3. Our culture dehumanizes those who work in education. Education is a profession,not a priesthood.

[iemitsu]

5. yes, teaching is a profession.

each of us has earned certification and has to continually update skills and knowledge. we belong to professional organizations like the NEA.
to even survive as a teacher, let alone do a good job, one needs a vast store of subject specific content knowledge plus the ability to seamlessly integrate that knowledge with classroom management techniques in dynamic social environments.
it is not a job that that one can do without professional training.
teachers deserve the respect shown to other professionals and they deserve to be paid like other professionals too. if we were paid well, we would be shown respect. that is the sign of value in america.
but teachers are legion. there are many of us in every community. to pay us what we are worth would dig deep into the incomes of other professionals.
it is much easier and cheaper to believe that teachers have a "calling" or that they are teaching because they failed to thrive in the real world of competition. low value workers.
to demonstrate this, people's expectations (fed by the media) of teachers and legislation like NCLB or race to the top are designed be unattainable reinforcing the notion that teachers aren't up to snuff.
professional evaluations for teachers must not be valid since schools are such failures. perhaps teachers ought to be judged by the success of their students? again, a measurement beyond the control of teachers.
then it is easy to justify crappy pay and overloaded classrooms. and it becomes easy to dump the experienced, better paid teacher for the novice, who will work for less.
teaching is a profession, one that i am proud to belong to. but, in america, much has been invested to make sure we are not taken seriously.
if we were allowed to really do our jobs our students would threaten the status-quo. they would knock the king off of the mountain. they would see that the emperor is naked. so we teachers are saddled with the curse of cassandra.

[HiPointDem]

4. excellent. i hadn't thought of it that way, but teaching is (or used to be) an anomalous space

in american culture.

collegial, where most work cultures are competitive/adversarial
not a direct part of the for-profit system
community and relationship-oriented

[eridani]

13. Might the value assigned to various professions have anything to do with--

--which sex is the stereotyped representative of that profession? Just sayin'.

[bloods vs crips]

16. three reasons

One, we as a nation don't properly demand our kids get educated. We get slaughtered by the international community when it comes to this. We excel in nearly every negative statistic, teen pregnancy, drop out rates, etc.

Two, unions have a tendency to restrict the ability of competition in school access. There are dozens of places where charter schools are literally sending crying kids/parents away because they can't increase access to their programs. The greed of some of the union leaders damages the image.

Three, qualifying the value of teachers is tough. Especially in cities where 50% of the students don't even graduate high school. What is the difference between our situation and other countries?

Unions get blamed a lot (and in many ways rightfully so) simply because people are trying to reconcile all the issues.

Frankly, I don't think any of this can be solved with out culture's obsession with the school/sport marriage. Not to mention the insane amount of kids who don't have proper parental influence.

[RobertAustin]

17. But then why do they hate teachers?

Answer: because administrators are successful, in many areas, in their efforts to create problems which will then LOOK to parents like they were created by teachers (and our unions). The primary example is bullying of teachers by administrators. When this happens, teachers cannot teach as effectively, but they still get scapegoated.

In other words, overpaid and abusive administrators are the real problem here. For that reason, a group of us have started this petition to address this problem at the federal level. Please read it. If you agree with it, please sign it, and then please share it with others.

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-c-a-p-education-reform-proposal-save-america-s-schools-by-cutting-administrators-pay-with-federal-legislation