Teachers union often spoils the image of the profession,
reacting to issues on a ‘me-first’ basis
It’s hard to fathom why the teachers union would unreasonably demand an across-the-board raise for all Gilroy teachers in response to the school board passing a resolution to add an extra period to the middle school day.
Trustees and administrators for the Gilroy Unified School district are making an earnest attempt to address an obvious deficiency in mathematics evident in the “product” our school district is producing – our students. Gilroy student math scores are plain lousy.
The district is willing to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in hiring additional teachers. There have been math summits, led by renowned educators, to define and discuss the problems with instruction and identify solutions. There have been meetings aplenty.
Then, when action is taken, the inevitable howl goes up from the union, and the same tired game is on.
In a textbook case of timing is everything, events occurred right before the summer break, so this time resolution came swiftly. After all, nobody wants to hammer out contract issues during the sacred summer break.
The gist of the tentative agreement is that teachers who volunteer to teach an extra period at one of our three middle schools next year will receive a 17 percent pay increase. On a $47,000 per year salary that’s right close to an additional $8,000.
But it’s never “fair” is it? And it’s never “enough” is it?
Actually, it’s both.
Teachers are not bricklayers. Teachers are professionals, and professionals do what it takes to get the job done. There are more than enough teachers who set wonderful examples of this. We all know them.
But the union often spoils the image of the profession, reacting to issues on a
“me-first” basis while attempting to mask the truth under a pile of ancillary issues.
Instead of being pro-active and solution oriented, the teachers union righteously portrays itself as the last line of defense against … what? Against a public education system fighting to succeed? Against an administration that recognizes the “same-old, same-old” isn’t getting the job done? Against a community demanding results.
If the public education system in America fails, a significant amount of the blame should be assigned to teachers unions that are unwilling to accept responsibility for student failure while being perfectly willing to demand more dollars regardless of results.
What should be in the next contract is a simple math equation that rewards teachers based on results. What would happen if Gilroy actually applied that basic American principle in the classroom?
