Union Matters in Education...Jordan Matters

In a perfect world there would be no need for unions. In fact, there would be no need for teachers or administrators. In such a world, everyone would be a lifelong self-learner. I’m not convinced if this educational nirvana would be ideal or a fulfillment of the Chinese curse ‘may you get what you wish for.’ I suspect it would be some sort of evil curse. The realm of perfection is not a human one, hence, the need for necessary evils like unions.

Due to arrogance or a false sense of individualism, I cringe at most things that resemble submission to a herd agenda. History shows us plenty of examples of wrongs committed by passive submissiveness to a herd mentality or seductive leader. Instinctively we shy away from such involvement. Yet all we need do is look at recent history to put an end to our hesitation.

The Winter 2007 article of AFT magazine provides excellent reminders of why teachers joined unions and why they remain important today. Noted were how pay was meager (some things don’t change much); women were fired if they married—if married, fired for having children; male teachers earned more than females; hiring was often connected with who you knew (oops); oppressive supervision by administrators was common; no due process; no collective bargaining. The list is too long for this article.

Also noted is the present view among corporate-style school reformers to install an autocratic principal who rules with an iron fist. Such administrators are convinced that their actions and decision are too important to be impeded by having to consult teachers. Desperate educational situations require desperate measures they reason. Whereas this approach seems sound in a low performing school as ours, it hardly should go without question.

Administrators, no matter how well-intended, are subject and succumb to negative human qualities. They can be biased, vindictive, abusive, indifferent, forgetful, disorganized, lazy and so on.

Our contract is an understanding that limits administrative powers gone amuck . It’s a simple yet all too beautiful safeguard found only in Democracies—powers must be checked and few exceptions allowed. Such checks and balances hinder reforms in bad schools goes the argument against this type of safeguard. One is reminded of the argument for tyrannical governance: The trains ran on time.

Unions are advocates for better education. They advocate for open discussion of administrative decisions, transparent budgets, their allocation and publishing. Most critically, they are a voice against unwise policies.

Such an understanding is all the more relevant as we move towards SLC’s. The whole concept of the SLC is replete with important educational notions such as collaboration, decentralized decision making, a say on how funds are spent, selection of teacher and curriculum taught. Yet the attitude we sense is that teachers at JHS can’t be trusted with all this autonomy, no matter how experienced they may be.

Teacher buy-in is critical and we should not be just expected to concur with orders handed down from high. Exclude this and the reforms demanded of the SLC model will not work at JHS.

UTLA at JHS can be the driving instrument for the changes that must take place here if true educational transformation is to trickle down to our students.