Why do our tax dollars go to pay teachers if they are unionized?

Question

I have worked in places that were union and as a consumer I have a choice on if I do business with them or not. I think if I am forced to pay tax dollars as a parent, I should have more of a say so. I have noticed that the NEA activly takes political positions I do not agree with and will go as far as endorsing canidates. I think this is garbage. The schools that we are being forced to fund are ran by unions. These members decide everything and always want more money and to not be held accountable for their performance. Is there any group out there that is trying to get legistlation through to stop teachers unions?

Answer 1

The Unions are in place to protect teacher's rights and make work conditions acceptable so that teacher's want to do a good job. The NEA does not run the schools. The union is not running the schools. The community and board of education run the schools. Do you go to school board meetings and listen? Do you sign up to ask questions and speak your mind? If not, then you have no reason to be complaining.

You vote to elect school board members. You do have a say. The NEA isn't something that everyone belongs to. The members that are in the NEA get protections and benefits, but the NEA has nothing to do with curriculum or how your students are taught. The local school board controls the curriculum and teachers, based on your state's legislature. In Ohio there are state standards and indicators that mandate what children should be learning and assessments which show what the students are learning in school.

If you don't like this, home school or go to a private school if you think you can do better. Public education is a good thing if you voice your concerns and you are an involved parent. You can't be judgemental and close-minded.

Answer 2

Then you can opt out of the public system and home-school. I believe you'll get some sort of rebate for that. You are also perfectly free to contact your legislator with your concern. I notice that you are not saying anything about any other public service unions that endorse candidates, like the firemen's or policemen's union. Is this because they tend to endorse the positions and candidates you like? I've noticed that corporations like Halliburton take positions that I find repulsive and immoral. Yet they seem to have much more pull over things than the NEA.

I bet that you aren't, nor have you ever been, in a union, or in a job where you might need one--say, one where people are firing criticism at you just for being. I'll bet the teachers in your district are far more accountable, to a variety of masters, than you are in your job.

There is a very interesting analogy to be drawn between the plight of the teacher and that of the factory worker. The sad fact is, schools are treated like factories in the US, when education is not ever a one-size-fits-all "product." Not only are most public school teachers underpaid and undersupported and expected to do more with less every year, but the entire system is mistakenly scaled too big. Surely your child would get more attention in a smaller class, and a higher quality education being taught by someone well paid, perhaps with research experience in their subject?

Aha! Got you: THAT would require HIGHER taxes. In education you very much get what you pay for.

Edit: And in response to the first poster, it would proabbly be better if more teachers were encouraged to make up their own curricula. But again, you get what you pay for, and most districts see fit to pay their money to the textbook companies.

Answer 3

Remember demand and supply drive the markets. In many cases local school districts don't have a choice on who gets hired. If most of the already hired teachers are in the union the union controls who get hired. If the government officials ( mostly Democratic; up until recently were not in bed with the unions, this would not be the case).

Yes, I agree with you. That's why the Teamsters have two levels of membership. One level of membership pays dues that endorse candidates, and the lower level membership which has lower dues does not use your membership dues to endorse candidates. Not a perfect solution but one that is a step in the right direction.

The previous post does not know what he is talking about. I am in the south and most all places that I have been; being former military. Most teachers belong to some sort of union, and most belong to a National teachers union; NEA, a state union, and a local or district level union.

Answer 4

Actually George Bush is working against, although in a roundabout way. The advent of community or charter schools is an answer to your issue. Most people cannot afford a private school. Many public schools, especially urban districts, have unions that are extremely strong and seem to have mob mentality about using that strength. Charter schools though allow individuals, organization and groups to start and run their own publicly funded school. Most charter school teachers are not part of a union. If you are dissatisfied with the public school. Stop patronizing them. Organize and start your own. Look for the state or local charter school organization where you are and find out how to start the process.

Answer 5

Where I live teachers are unionized. So are bus drivers, nurses and our local ferry service (I live on an island with 500,000+ residents). All of their salaries are funded by tax dollars. I've seen schools close for a month, supermarkets run out of food, and hospital patients die because someone was on strike.

At the same time, I'm currently in my fifth year of a six-year B.Ed program that will train me to teach in the public school system. I've also worked for schools that were not unionized, where teachers were expected to work overtime for less than their regular hourly salary, and where teachers were expected to work split shifts starting at 8.00 am and finishing at 9.00 pm. Teachers are accountable to a lot of people: students, parents, school administration, the Ministry of Education, and the local community. All of those stakeholders seem willing to screw teachers over at the first opportunity.

I am ALL for accountability in teaching. I would like to see pay-for-performance and regular performance reviews. I believe that parents should have the right to complain to the principal about their children's teacher (something our local union is trying to prohibit). But I also believe that teachers who went to university for six years (like myself) should have salaries that reflect the current rate of inflation, and that teachers should not be expected to teach classes with forty students, of which ten are identified as special-needs. That's why they need a union.

Answer 6

Your tax dollars go to alot more than paying for teachers. Teachers get paid also from the state. You obviously have no idea how hard teachers work and get paid far less than others. Why shouldn't they be unionized? This might actually keep what some teachers want to get paid down. Try this site, it might answer some questions.

http://www.educationpolicy.org/EPIseries/parent-bklt.htm

Answer 7

I am not sure what your mean by schools being unionized. None of the schools in Arkansas are unionized. Less than half of most teachers belong to the NEA. It is a voluntary organization that supports education. There is no coercion to join.

Answer 8

If you don't like the way the public school system is funded, by your taxdollars, go to a private school or parochial school or homeschool your child.

Your tax dollars also pay the adminstrators salaries, not just at the schools but at the schoolboard level too and your state department of education, who ultimately sets the curriculum and standards the teachers have to teach by. Trust me teachers don't just dream up curriculums by themselves.

Answer 9

Well, the south does not have teacher unions especially in rural areas