No, they are not. The administrators supervise union members, and they determine what's being taught. But the administrators most certainly are not union members. No more than a GM vice president would be an auto workers union member.
The NEA has been very aggressive in putting through all those class changes you were talking about.
Now you're getting somewhere. The NEA leadership is more than just corrupt. They are big-government socialists. Remember, we are talking about the union leadership here, the folks that sit in fancy offices all day and do no real teaching. Sure, there are some crazy ultra-lib teachers. But many more are either conservatives, or JFK-type democrats. Yet the NEA leadership keeps getting re-elected. I really do suspect voter fraud, although it could be just plain old apathy.
it’s more likely the union will pressure the school to keep a terrible teacher.
Well, that's the job of the union. Just as it's your lawyer's job to defend you, regardless. The problem is that most administrators are lazy, and are cowards. They don't want to bother with a lawsuit, so they take the easy way out.
And, yes, that bothers me. I don't want to have to work next to a bad teacher. Because I end up doing my job, and his job.
Well .. maybe they don’t have to pay dues .. but they do take orders from the unions. I’ve seen it happen time and time again; especially in grammar schools.