Jose Vilson: On Why You Should Support Teachers Unions
Imagine a teacher getting threats from their administration just because the administrator doesn't like them. Imagine a teacher receiving a letter in their file for the charge of having their own cup of coffee in their classroom. Imagine a teacher seeing administrators for observation after ridiculous observation simply because the kids like him better. Imagine a teacher getting humiliated in front of their students for not doing their bulletin board, or for knowing how to use the Internet. Imagine a new teacher getting threatened with probation or an unsatisfactory rating for wondering why their class is always considered last for everything when other classes get more privileges. Imagine how secure any teacher must feel with a climate that allows for these sorts of incidents.
You don't, because it's happening. Teachers unions aren't just about the ability to collectively bargain, but to ensure that the people in the classroom (teachers and students) can do the best job possible without the belligerence of inept managers that pervade our school systems today. It's not to say that every manager is inept, much like I would never say every teacher is perfect. But I do think every teacher deserves the right to get a true justification for their dismissal. These days, it's much harder to become a teacher and
You don't, because it's happening. Teachers unions aren't just about the ability to collectively bargain, but to ensure that the people in the classroom (teachers and students) can do the best job possible without the belligerence of inept managers that pervade our school systems today. It's not to say that every manager is inept, much like I would never say every teacher is perfect. But I do think every teacher deserves the right to get a true justification for their dismissal. These days, it's much harder to become a teacher and
