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Will you admit that there are many teachers that are accused of being “bad” when in fact they are not supplied with proper materials, or are in situations of poor school leadership that prevent them from being ‘good” teachers.

Bad teachers are just bad employees like everywhere else. Not showing up on time, cussing people out, sloppy, not doing paperwork, and in general jerks. My union doesn’t waste time with these people. By the way tenure only means they have to give a reason why they fire you in these cases.

Many principals cry “union” when in fact they don’t want to do the simple job of writing someone up. It takes a strong person to say “you’re fired” and most people don’t enjoy doing it. Also remember when you fire someone you hire it is like admitting a mistake. Not something principals and superintends like to do. It calls their hiring judgment into question.

Here are some of the issues that got me involved with my local.

I’ve seen a teacher given poor reviews by a building administrator because the principal wanted to return to the classroom and take that job. Union couldn’t do anything, teacher was not rehired.

Our district just had a teacher fired because she reported being struck by a black student to the police. (Rib nearly broken) Well, technically her contract wasn’t renewed, even though the principal wanted her back. We have a very anti union, pro minority superintendent. Teachers are afraid to call the office sometimes. We have been told not to call the cops if assaulted, in such a manner as can’t be proven, of course.

Christian teachers have been called in to the principal’s office for having bibles or religious material on their desk. No preaching, just lunch reading material. You would be shocked how many times teachers are defended by their union for simple religious freedom issues that wouldn’t even cause comment in the private sector.

Teachers have had to invoke the contract in order to get enough desks and chairs for their students. Yet our superintendent’s office has been remodeled at least two times in the last 6 years.

My union constantly goes to bat for workplace issues that have a direct positive effect on the students. Usually to get the teacher agreed upon materials or space to do our job. This is done far more often than defending teachers being disciplined.

You rarely hear about these issues because we are not allowed to talk about them in public. Many of my fellow teachers are conservatives and came into the profession determined that the NEA or AFT was some type of evil empire. I did. It takes less than a year for most of them to turn around.

If you don’t believe me feel free to join up. We always need good people.