[george76]

Last week brought yet more proof that the Washington Education Association has little to do with education. It’s a union, plain and simple. And to advance its members, the union will even resort to anti-education tactics.

If the WEA were really interested in education, it would have applauded and supported a five-year, $13.2 million grant...

Logic leads one to believe the WEA would support more pay for teachers, but because the NMSI grant money would come from an outside source, free from union manipulation, the union effectively killed the program.

http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/05/05102008_In-our-view-Cheers—Jeers.cfm

[ClearCase_guy]

I don't actually think the tide is turning quite yet, but I have seen more and more of these types of stories. The WSJ just had one on judging teachers by their student's achievement. They used the analogy that if a swimming instructor lost half the class to drownings, you'd fire the teacher. But in government schools, any effort to look at student achievement or graduation rates brings out the teachers union who says, "It's not our fault. Blame the kids!"

At some point people will start to ask why we spend so much on public education and get so little in return. There are other (better) ways to teach children.

[elpadre]

teacher unions are interested in mediocrity, not excellence.

Everyone is a “C” student, no competitive endeavors such as spelling bees, math bowls, football, etc. All teachers get the same pay, and everyone a Democrat!

I believe there is a good label for their beliefs.

[knarf]

My first thought was, the "follow the money" rule had just failed.

On further consideration, the rule still holds (imo), it's just coming from another area, to different people and in much larger sums.

NEA ... the Fifth Column.

[Eurale]

It’s no wonder why teachers and their unions refuse to be held accountable. It’s because they embrace and inculcate relativism and egalitarianism. Then they infect generations of children with the same. That’s what we’re facing today - these “chickens have come home to roost.” There are millions more behind them, and apparently there’s no political will to slam on the brakes.

[popdonnelly]

Improving public education would require breaking the back of the NEA.

[jazusamo]

Since I’ve lived here in WA there has been three or four major strikes by the teachers in different parts of the state.

Now mind you, strikes are illegal by state employees but the Rats who have controlled our state since I’ve lived here have not pushed that fact or enforced the no strike rule.

It’s simply pathetic that the union has enough power to to blatanly break the law but that’s what happens when the Rats who are backed by unions control a state government.

There are many teachers who don’t go along with this but they are powerless to change it unless they get enough numbers in their local districts to change the local votes. They are not only fighting the powers that be with the unions but the state government.

[tflabo]

We spend taxpayer billion$ on education yet the product and results are piss poor. Ample evidence abounds to show more $$ is NOT the solution to education results.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks geo.

[PsyOp]

“If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves.” - A Nation at Risk, report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983.

[lonevoice]

The WEA, in its infinite wisdom, has decided the state doesn’t need $13.2 million, and that enhanced placement math and science courses are unimportant. Just thought you’d like to know.