To the New York Times, Mar. 10, 2008
Mar 11, 2008 9:15 PM
To the Editor:
Once again, conservatives are blaming teacher unions for
the failure of their educationally bankrupt policies’ to gain traction
in America’s public schools (“Educators or Kingmakers?” and “Teaching
Change,” March 10).
Most teacher union contracts today represent a response to
the one-size-fits-all industrial factory model in which management
dictates to educators. More often than not, management, citing a need
for flexibility, attempts to exclude all teacher input from the
decision-making process. Progressive union leaders have fought to
negotiate contracts that are tailored to the culture of a school and
the work it does. In New York City, for example, since the Eighties,
the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) has negotiated School-Based
Options to allow teachers and principals to agree to change certain
contractual rules to fit the educational needs of individual schools.
Today in New York we have several different models of
collaboration between educators, principals and parents, including
charter schools, which operate with fewer rules and regulations than
other public schools. The UFT represents faculty at eight city charter
schools, including two run by the union itself. Experience shows us
that the real key to running successful schools is management that
treats educators fairly and supports the mission of teaching and
learning.
It’s also a mistake to blame union opposition to individual
merit pay for poor teacher retention. Many teacher unions – including
the UFT – support school-wide performance bonuses in which all
educators are recognized when students show academic progress.
Moreover, a study released earlier this month by the Economic Policy
Institute in Washington, D.C., shows that retention of good teachers
would be easier if the profession paid better. The study shows a
widening pay gap for teachers who now earn on average about 14% less
than people in comparable occupations with similar skill requirements
such as accountants, reporters, registered nurses, computer
programmers, clergy and personnel officers.
Randi Weingarten, President
United Federation of Teachers
