Unions don’t put students first

I am not anti-union, but I am definitely against many labor leaders at the national level that exist solely to improve members’ pay and benefits, and quality of product or services goes by the wayside.

Most specifically, the leadership of the NEA (National Education Association) and AFT (American Federation of Teachers) are not interested in competency in the classroom. Their main interest is hustling for more benefits so they can keep their job, and promoting the social engineering policies such as social promotions, that deny a student a future. Of course, social promotions allows the teacher to get rid of the student they can’t teach. Younger teachers who are successful in the classroom and prefer to educate, not indoctrinate, are often not accepted by older teachers and the first to be laid off. And most of the younger teachers prefer not to have anything to do with the NEA or AFT.

Frankly, the successful teacher in the classroom doesn’t need the Unions. Parents will readily come forward to see that the excellent teacher is fairly rewarded,

All decent local teachers unions should immediately dissociate themselves from the state and national NEA and AFT and immediately stop paying dues. You may find that you can work better within your own respective school districts, and you can join with parents to provide quality education to all the students.

Your new union motto should be “students first.” Robert J. Byrne

Waukegan