LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Unions go too far to protect bad teachers

Edward Foster, Las Vegas

Sunday, March 22, 2009 | 2:02 a.m.

As a former teacher and school district administrator, I know all of the arguments against merit pay. I was a classroom teacher before unions came to education. As an art teacher, my principal required me to design and build the sets for the high school play and do the yearbook, school paper and all the bulletin boards in the building, without compensation. The union gave me a rate schedule for extra duties.

Teachers were fired because their political opinions differed from the building administrator’s. There were many abuses of power that have been eliminated through the unions. I was president of my administrative union twice.

But I believe the pendulum has swung far too much in the opposite direction. The most inept teachers in a school are protected by the union to the detriment of not only their students but also their competent colleagues.

The most frequent argument used by teacher unions about merit pay is that principals, who will make the determination, will play favorites. If indeed they were the only judges, that might be the case. You can ask any teacher in a school building, and he will know who the outstanding teachers are. The students and parents will usually agree on that assessment. A committee of parents, teachers, students and a principal can make that determination.

Teachers who keep up with professional developments, give 120 percent and bring enthusiasm and excitement to their classrooms are worthy of not only praise and recognition but also financial rewards for their efforts. The unions protect the weakest members instead of providing them with the skills necessary to improve their skills.

When teachers begin to applaud and reward their best colleagues, the level of performance and test results will improve measurably. It is time to get rid of the very few teachers who have just been coasting. I had a mentor who was a district superintendent. He said, “There are teachers who have been teaching 20 years and there are those who have taught one year, 20 times.”

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By teacher

3/22/09 at 10:43 a.m.

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Good letter. The public must use common sense (unlike the R-J) and realize that good teachers don't like or want deadbeat colleagues.

Unfortunately, you aren't going to attract many good teachers in a district where teachers are abused by admin without recourse, where pay is low, and in a political climate where teachers are to blame for everything, and way too many students and parents don't do much - but it's still the teacher's fault. Teacher bashing is the rage. It's a miserable occupation in Las Vegas.

I'm curious about this letter writer. Did he teach here? Does he know that there is no "union" to speak of here?
By bluez1

3/22/09 at 6:40 p.m.

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Ed Foster is a retired administrator from New York, who has lived here for many years. When he retired, the district had to hire four people to do his job. While he has no local experience and has been following the travails of local teachers, I feel his points have merit. I have known such "one year 20 times" teachers. Usually they wise up and become administrators, where they are indoctrinated into the prevailing mindset of the district. I am so glad to be retired after 26 years here.
By Quickshot

3/22/09 at 9:50 p.m.

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American Union's were developed to protect American workers from safety and wage issues that existed long ago.
I was a union member for 20 years and a company owner that hired union workers. I have seen both sides of the issue. Unfortunately the Unions of today do more to protect workers with poor work ethics, rather than unscrupulous companies.
The fact that the teachers are complaining about a merit pay system should throw up a red flag. The loudest voices against merit rate wages are usually the worst employees, I have found.
Our country has become one of people who think they are entitled to everything without earning it. The majority of teachers I have met fall into the category of the ENTITLEMENT group. The people who want the most pay for the least amount of work. Is it any wonder that our country ranks so low in the world for education.
I have lived in Las Vegas since the early 60's.
My teacher's cared about their students. My 3 children's teachers did not.
My parents were not well educated and could not help me with my homework.
My teachers "TAUGHT" everything we needed to know in the class room. I went on to college and graduated. The first in my immediate and extended family(cousins, aunts, uncles, etc...) to do so.
My children's teachers, with the exception of 2 or 3, expected me, as the parent to teach my children. It was manditory. WHY?
I helped all my children to graduate. There are alot of children now, who's parents can't help them because they don't know the information needed to help their children. True there are others who just don't want to be troubled, but that is a social issue not an issue of education.
This may be caused by many reasons. Parents who dropped out, or who were given "social advancement". Single parent homes, where the one parent has to work 2 jobs. What ever the reason, I believe the teaching should be done by professional teachers, not by parents who usually both have to work (If they are lucky enough to have a job).
This as with all important issues has no right or wrong answer.
Until our country gets rid of the entitlement issues, we will never be the great nation we once were, when we led the world in economy, science and all other segments we now fall short in.