Teachers unions have sometimes blatantly sought to manipulate what children are taught in order to inculcate pro-union attitudes. In the late 1970s the Miami affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers sent out a bulletin urging music teachers to I order music such as 'Solidarity Forever,' " English teachers to "incorporate short stories, novels, poems, and films depicting labor struggles and conflicts," and math teachers to "use labor and management as specific examples in problems." But, of course, the union members were objective in their class discussions.
Teachers unions blatantly exploit their power over school children. In Montgomery County, Maryland, union teachers refused to write letters of recommendations to colleges for students unless the students first wrote to the county council urging an increase in government spending for education (and, naturally, higher salaries for teachers). One high school senior told the Washington Post, "The consensus among students seems to be it may be blackmail, but students are going to go along with it anyway."
In California in 1991, teachers required students to write to state legislators demanding more money for education. The tactic backfired because numerous letters contained threats of physical violence against the legislators.
At Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., teachers gave parents a formal notice that they would not write letters of recommendation for students unless parents wrote three letters demanding higher pay for teachers: "Please submit to each teacher from whom your child is requesting a college recommendation your letters to your city council member, the superintendent and your school board member along with three addressed and stamped envelopes." Parents thus had to grovel in front of a teacher-to surrender their right to their own opinion on public education policy-in order for their children to receive consideration from the teachers
Wow, this is not how our teachers act. Although, I will grant you that when society expects the teacher to be nurse, mother, father, counselor, and on and on and then complain they are making too much money--WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
Furthermore, they cannot even hug a child for fear of ramifications. The good old days are gone and replaced by greedy liberals interested only in individual rights--meaning their own.
We now use purple pens because red is symbolic of something bad. What a tragedy? And don't get me started on grief counselors--it makes me disgusted.