It should always be about the students?

Teachers have been given a bad name for a long time when it comes to public education, but what the public does not see is the inner political core that stands against the reason that teachers became teachers.

In many districts there are unions that must uphold specific details from previously negotiated contracts even if at the current time it is not what is best for our youth. For example, let us say a group of teachers and counselors form a committee over the summer creating a pilot program that will make an impact on at-risk incoming students; "at-risk" meaning that they were promoted to 9th grade even though they failed more than two classes. At the start of the school year, the volunteer teachers facilitating the activities to help these students learn how to transition into high school are approached by union representatives because they are going above and beyond the regular contractual limitations agreed upon by the union and administration, and the program has not been discussed with the union. The teachers do not realize that the union is not really on their side and that they are trying to intimidate them into sticking within the confines of the contracts.

I ask, how do we create and implement change if we do not go above and beyond when it comes to educating our kids? Education is not evolving as quickly as society and it is being left in the dust. If we do not start to go against the grain and help make change within our schools we will fail miserably at the job that we chose to do. Unions often support the contract and not the individuals that are represented in the contract. It helps teachers that are doing just the minimum or not enough to keep their jobs because they are union members.

Much-needed school change hits a wall and goes no further. The teachers who have created these programs have to go back to the drawing board and find another creative way to continue knocking on the same door to make change happen. Imagine being that teacher or group of teachers that have spent endless hours creating a program, knowing it is what is best for kids and in one hour a group of elected officials say, "No, we know better than you."

Basically, there are too many cooks in the kitchen and they do not care what the food tastes like. If all stakeholders had one mindset that was to always think of the students first, we would not have these problems.

Graciela Rivera

Round Lake