Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 4, 1990 TAG: 9003014376
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The names of these organizations suggest that they promote education; however, nothing could be further from the truth.
They promote the interests of their dues-paying members - the same as a union does. The teachers' union, which represents teachers, administrators and other school personnel, has grown to a position of dominance in Virginia. In practical terms, this means there is a tremendous amount of political power in the hands of a few. The teachers' union is now able to control or have a major say in all legislation affecting the livelihoods of its members. Like other unions, the teachers' union lobbies for more pay and less work.
In order to appreciate the teachers' union, it is instructive to look at some of its goals:
\ 1. The right to strike: In the early 1970s the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that public employees do not have the right to strike. The teachers' union has never accepted this ruling and is working to get judges appointed who will rule in their favor. When they get the right to strike, our students will become hostages to bigger budgets, as they are in some other states.
\ 2. Remove local control of schools: The fiscal 1990 school budget reduced the authority of county supervisors by reducing the number of categories in the budget. For example, the supervisors can no longer fund capital outlay for buildings and equipment separate from teachers' pay. As a practical matter, teachers' pay can go up while our buildings fall down.
The teachers' union doesn't trust local school boards, either. It is working to remove disciplinary authority that local school boards now have over teachers. Thus far, it is succeeding.
\ 3. Train members in union tactics: Remember last spring when the teachers in Floyd County were wearing red arm bands to protest local school budget cuts? The tactic wasn't invented in Floyd County. The arm bands are a standard union tactic in Virginia.
The union encourages members to use all available resources to press for money. The red arm band generates free publicity and helps utilize another resource - the students. What child could fail to be curious when the teacher shows up with an arm band?
The classroom is the perfect setting for teachers to manipulate children in order to influence parents. The teachers 25 years ago were poorly compensated by today's standards, but they never would have employed such shabby tactics in seeking relief.
In conclusion, I submit for your consideration that the teachers' union is a monster in our midst and that it will devour us if its power remains unchecked. It will devour us by forcing tax rates up while academic standards continue to decline, as they have these past 25 years.
The union will generate so much propaganda that many parents and students will not know they've been had until it's too late. However, a million dollars worth of propaganda isn't worth a nickel if everyone knows it's not so.\ Howard Dickerson\ Willis
Dickerson is a member of the Floyd County Board of Supervisors.
by CNB