Why does a teacher like me support my union? « JD2718

Why does a teacher like me support my union? « JD2718

Why does a teacher like me support my union?

by jd2718

1 person liked this

I will answer, at greater length, as the sun rises. But for now:
1. I answer with injured pride. And offense. My answer is the same, if you think I am a good teacher, a bad teacher, or a decent, reasonable teacher. What do you mean, a teacher like me? And let me add this – when you, other teachers, hear that question, you should take offense, too.
2. Do you want me to convince someone to support the union? Or are you just asking why I support it? Because if you are just asking why, it is easy. Supporting your union is the right thing to do. Period. I don’t really think about it. Ever. I never debated whether or not I should support my union. I was raised that way.
3. My union has a lot of problems. The leadership screws up in big and little ways. But it is my damned union, and don’t think for half a moment that it gets anything less than my full support. I want to improve what could be

Where’d this EduSolidwhatever day come from?

by jd2718

March 22 is coming to a close in New York. We had a color day in schools – red for Wisconsin. I’ve got some nice pics, sending them in. But we had a blog action day, too. A hundred bloggers, and who knows how many facebookers answered the prompt: Why do teachers like me support unions?
A few days ago Steve Lazar, Chapter Leader at another small Bronx school, writes to Jose Vilson, Ken Bernstein, and me, complaining that he’s just been asked for the umpteenth time why a teacher like him (don’t know what “like him” means, but I’m guessing some combo of young, white, smart, energetic, well-educated, well-mannered) would support the UFT, and worse, be a chapter leader. Steve thinks we should do a blog action day to coincide with the wear red for Wisconsin (and the other states) day, March 22 (that’s now today). And we say yes.
We batted around a few ideas for a name. We thought about who should sign the appeal. Just Steve? Just us? A few more? Wide open? We shot for a dozen. And we broke up the work. For a bit there, I felt odd man out. My