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Monday, August 13, 2012

Jersey Jazzman: Befuddled Thinking On Teachers Unions

Jersey Jazzman: Befuddled Thinking On Teachers Unions:


Befuddled Thinking On Teachers Unions

Usually, I like Bob Braun of the Star-Ledger. He did some stellar work on Education Commissioner Chris Cerf'ssecret deals and shifting stories right after Cerf took office. He's called Governor Chris Christie out on much of his teacher-bashing nonsense. Braun also got Chris Cerf to admit that student characteristics were an important part of "successful" charter schools' achievements (an inconvenient truth Cerf tries to ignore whenever he can).

So it's a shame to see Braun take a cue from the rest of the paper's op-ed page and write a piece that is primarily designed as an excuse to sneer at the NJEA (the New Jersey affiliate of the National Education Association). Admittedly, his tack is a bit unique: he goes after one teachers union by praising another:
The AFT is smaller than the state association’s parent National Education Association and has only a few locals in New Jersey. It does represent teachers in the nation’s largest cities — including New York and Los Angeles. And, since its founding as a