"The role of teachers unions in education reform has been on my mind a great deal lately. The issue was front and center when I talked to school board members in California. It looks like Maryland’s union might obstruct that state’s efforts to make changes to teacher policies. And during ED’s Race to the Top technical assistance workshopyesterday, the role of unions and reform came up several times.
I’ve been trying to decipher where Secretary Duncan comes down on all of this, and I’ve reached some tentative conclusions.
First, he has strong reform inclinations. He was willing to talk about reform issues during a speech at this year’s NEA convention, a move that got him booed on several occasions by the organization’s membership. In a little-noticed but important November speech at the Chamber of Commerce, after noting some reform-oriented moves by some local unions, he delivered very pointed words: “Now let me be absolutely clear about this: Labor issues are an impediment in many places, and we must continue to challenge them.” In an article recently published on the NEA website, he challenges antiquated rules on tenure and pay."
I’ve been trying to decipher where Secretary Duncan comes down on all of this, and I’ve reached some tentative conclusions.
First, he has strong reform inclinations. He was willing to talk about reform issues during a speech at this year’s NEA convention, a move that got him booed on several occasions by the organization’s membership. In a little-noticed but important November speech at the Chamber of Commerce, after noting some reform-oriented moves by some local unions, he delivered very pointed words: “Now let me be absolutely clear about this: Labor issues are an impediment in many places, and we must continue to challenge them.” In an article recently published on the NEA website, he challenges antiquated rules on tenure and pay."