If what you say is true , and I'm sure it is, how much stimulus $$$ went , "to keep teachers working." ? So in reality we the people are paying for our own destruction.
To give you number to chew on, each UFT teacher member pays $98.00 a month in dues. Multiply that by 80,000 teachers. There are about 30,000 other titles who pay less, but in the $40-45 a month range. In addition campaigns are run to raise COPE funds specifically for political uses.