Jacques: Union targets Detroit charters with old enemy
A union is targeting Detroit's charter schools in an organizing drive significantly aided by a former enemy.
While most of the state's traditional public schools are unionized, charters have remained largely union free -- only a handful have been organized over the past 20 years. The last one to do so in Detroit was Cesar Chavez Academy in 2013.
But now the American Federation of Teachers — Michigan has found a potent new weapon to break open charters. They've co-opted a number of instructors from Teach for America.
Teach for America, which has about 230 active teachers in its Detroit corps, takes some of the brightest college graduates from around the country and places them for two years in high-poverty urban districts. About 60 percent of the TFA teachers in Detroit work in charter schools.
Until now, Teach for America has been an anathema to the union because it sees its recruits as taking jobs that should go to union teachers.
In an interesting twist, the AFT is using Teach for America members to lead organizing drives at charter schools.
Two charter school districts in Detroit are in the midst of organizing drives led in part by TFA instructors. University YES Academy, which is part of New Urban Learning, has scheduled a union vote for May 6.
Closely behind is U Prep Schools, which includes University Prep Science and Math and University Prep Academy schools—some of the better charter schools in the city. A TFA teacher is reportedly leading the drive to form a union at U Prep, and a dozen other TFA teachers are on board.
The U Prep schools filed their petition to unionize Wednesday, and will schedule a vote in the near future, says Nate Walker, K-12 organizer and policy analyst for AFT-Jacques: Union targets Detroit charters with old enemy: