EduSolidarity Day: Why teachers like me support unions.
Today, March 22, is nationwide blog action day. The topic? Why teachers like me support unions. Educators, bloggers, parents, and others who reject the notion that only bad teachers need unions or that unions hurt kids are posting today on their own internet sites and at http://www.edusolidarity.usHere’s my contribution:
Democracy is good for kids.
Someone has to explain to me how my life as a teacher and local union leader and my daily fight to protect the rights of my colleagues has been bad for my students?
I don’t believe democracy is a zero-sum game.
I don’t believe that more rights for teachers means less rights for kids.
I’m not going to be bullied by the anti-union bunch into saying that somehow fighting for good working conditions, fair compensation, the teacher’s voice in instructional decision making and equal application of the rules is sacrificing the needs of my students to adult needs.
When collective bargaining was signed into Illinois law in 1983, it was an expansion of democracy. And it came during a time of expanding democratic rights for everybody.
I believe that all of society benefited from an end to legal segregation.
I believe that the Voting Rights Act improved all of our lives.
I believe that when Tile IX was won in 1972 it was a victory for all.
I believe that a more democratic society is good for everybody, teachers and kids.
How can I apologize for the day in 2003 when 97% of our members voted to strike to support the 10% that were paying for family coverage. Family health insurance costs were impoverishing their families. Their families included children. In fact, some of those children were my students.
When vindictive or incompetent bosses target good teachers, someone has to do something. I do it because it is the right thing to do. Good teachers are good for our students.
Thank goodness that when some crazy right-wing union haters recently attacked me, my union colleagues defended me. That was good for my students too.
Union people believe an injury to one is an injury to all.
Union teachers believe an injury to all includes our students.
That’s why teachers like me support unions.