“StarbuckAGTM” - 3 Important Functions of Teachers Unions (other than collective bargaining)

by StarbuckAGTM

Mar 10, 2011

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/10/955093/-3-Important-Functions-of-Teachers-Unions-%28other-than-collective-bargaining%29

When I was hired for my first teaching job, a libertarian friend of mine asked if I would be joining a union.  I told him, “Of course,” and watched the steam start to rise from his ears.  My ears, in the meantime, were met with the indignant chorus of how-can-you-possibly-consider-joining-in-the-corruption-and-destruction-of-America’s-public-education!  I answered him with two words: liability insurance.

Below are three important functions that teacher unions perform other than collective bargaining.

1. Liability Insurance
It’s finger painting day.  Little Suzy carefully carries her cup of paint back to her seat. Unfortunately, one of Suzy’s shoelaces is untied, and she trips, spilling her paint all over the floor.  At that very moment, Billy walks by, steps right into the spilled paint, slips, and falls.  Johnny, meanwhile, has pulled back his chair from his desk to sit down.  Billy’s head slams against the chair and—it’s Million Dollar Baby.  Oh yeah, and Billy’s dad is a lawyer.

Teacher unions like NEA provide their members with liability insurance for situations such as this.  When you work with kids on a daily basis, liability insurance is an absolute necessity.  As much as you try, you cannot control what all 30 of those little bodies are doing in your classroom at any given moment.  Without NEA’s liability insurance, the teacher would have to pay for their own lawyer if the parent decides to go after them, and that’s not something most people can afford on a teacher’s salary.

2. Advocacy
Most school boards meet once a month, usually on a week night, and most teachers are far too busy to routinely attend.  In my previous school district, I received an email from a union leader after each school board meeting that outlined what was discussed, what was accomplished, and issues on the horizon. I appreciated these emails immensely because it gave me a snapshot of important decisions being made in my district.

Teachers unions also routinely communicate with politicians, advocating for things like adequate funding, smaller class sizes, and even things like healthcare coverage for all children.  Too often educational policy is changed drastically by people in Washington who know nothing about education (think No Child Left Behind).  Teachers unions serve as a voice for teachers in a very complicated political system that would otherwise ignore them.  

3. Professional Development
Teachers unions also offer a wide array of professional development opportunities to its members.  Through unions like NEA, teachers can attend workshops and access educational research online.  In addition, members receive a monthly magazine with articles on current issues in education as well as articles on teaching strategies and ideas.

Teachers unions can also help teachers continue in their own education. NEA, for example, offers a variety of scholarships for teachers wanting to pursue advanced degrees or their national board certification.  

I hear the point often made that because teachers unions look after teachers’ rights, they automatically must infringe on students’ rights.  When we look at the functions of teachers unions, however, don’t we see that what’s good for teachers is often good for students?  Don’t we want educational reform to be led by professionals in education, not professionals in politics?  Don’t we want our teachers to be well-educated and to continue learning throughout their career?  Teachers unions ultimately provide much needed support to people who dedicate themselves to one of the hardest jobs there is.

A Note on Collective Bargaining
Collective bargaining is, of course, another very important function of teachers unions.  The reason why private school teachers’ salaries are less than public school teachers’ is quite simply because they are not unionized.  My mom worked at a private Catholic school for 25 years, so believe me when I say that you do not truly understand how undervalued teachers are until you look at teachers whose salaries depend on the generosity of a parish congregation.  When school funding comes from collection plates, you get teachers making 80% of what public school teachers earn.  That means that in Illinois, for example, a first year Catholic school teacher with a bachelor’s degree earns about $28,000 a year.  

Do not think, however, that unionized teachers live in luxury because they can collectively bargain.  Since I began my career 3 years ago, I have not worked in a district that did not have a frozen salary schedule.  I’ve met many teachers who have had to put off retirement because of it.  The budget is the budget, and no amount of bargaining can make more money magically appear.  

Unions, like any organization, are not perfect and in some cases may even be corrupt.  Politicians, however, are always so quick to try to fix things through grand gestures.  They don’t agree with everything the unions do, so clearly that means unions must be eliminated.  Yes, the unions’ first priority is the teachers and sometimes that causes problems.  But in making teachers their priority and looking after their needs, unions allow teachers to make students their priority.  Isn’t that the way it should be?