Petition to Put an End to Teachers' Unions in Public Education!

[Flopper]

Teacher unions have become the scapegoat for just about all problems in our education system.

You're right, educational problems in America are due less to pubic sector unions (despite all the problems with that arrangement) and more to do with government running the business of education. The federal government has no place at all funding education and states have managed to bring a DMV like mentality to it. Get the government out of RUNNING education and we'll begin to see actual education take place.

Perhaps Carolyn Lochhead said it best: "Public educators, like Soviet farmers, lack any incentive to produce results, innovate, to be efficient, to make the kinds of difficult changes that private firms operating in a competitive market must make to survive."

If government is not to run the public educational systems in the country, who is?

State and local government provide 90% of the funds to operate the schools. Of the 10% that comes from the federal government, a large portion comes from the Dept of Agriculture to fund the School Lunch Program and Health and Human Services to fund Head Start. The US DOE has little to say about how local schools are run. State and local districts make almost all decisions. US statues that directly effect schools are primary concerned with discrimination.

 

[Ernie S.]

Petition Text: In the Spirit of Democracy, Independence and Authentic Progressivism, the People of the United States remain to be skeptical on America's Future. There have been program initiatives for many years to better our children's circumstances from the tyranny of the Teachers' Unions. In all disrespect, We the People are frustrated with these program initiatives because quite frankly, they do not work. There have been an increase of funding towards this system but it failed to improve our circumstance as well, this is due to the nature of the contracts by the Teachers' Unions. Greed. We the People hereby petition the Obama Administration to take full initiative in eliminating such unions from this public service, namely "Public Education".

Sign the Petition: http://wh.gov/Tu2

Why?

1. Public Education is a Public Service Career.
2. Public Education Receives Thousands to Millions of Dollars on a Monthly Basis.
3. Program Initiatives like "Race to the Top" or "No Child Left Behind" Don't Work.
4. Teachers' Benefits are Extraodinary Because It's State (Federal) Owned.

Sources:

True Costs of Public Education (From YouTube)
True Costs of Public Education (From Washington Post)

It's a start. But Republicans real goal is to get rid of teachers altogether. That's why they started "Sunday School". It's all you really need.

You ARE dumber than dog shit, aren't you?

 

[Wry Catcher]

Petition Text: In the Spirit of Democracy, Independence and Authentic Progressivism, the People of the United States remain to be skeptical on America's Future. There have been program initiatives for many years to better our children's circumstances from the tyranny of the Teachers' Unions. In all disrespect, We the People are frustrated with these program initiatives because quite frankly, they do not work. There have been an increase of funding towards this system but it failed to improve our circumstance as well, this is due to the nature of the contracts by the Teachers' Unions. Greed. We the People hereby petition the Obama Administration to take full initiative in eliminating such unions from this public service, namely "Public Education".

Sign the Petition: http://wh.gov/Tu2

Why?

1. Public Education is a Public Service Career.
2. Public Education Receives Thousands to Millions of Dollars on a Monthly Basis.
3. Program Initiatives like "Race to the Top" or "No Child Left Behind" Don't Work.
4. Teachers' Benefits are Extraodinary Because It's State (Federal) Owned.

Sources:

True Costs of Public Education (From YouTube)
True Costs of Public Education (From Washington Post)

It's a start. But Republicans real goal is to get rid of teachers altogether. That's why they started "Sunday School". It's all you really need.

You ARE dumber than dog shit, aren't you?

Is there a movement to make our nation into a theocracy? I beleive there is, small, but it exits.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Out tax dollars go to fund a system that generates moronic, illiterate, useful idiot Democrat voter; it has to stop

Frank, you're too stupid to teach a seagull to shit, I can't believe anyone pays you enough for you to worry about taxes.

Wry, we're not going to pay for Progressives to turn out failures anymore. If you want to be competitive, get ideas that don't suck.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Petition Text: In the Spirit of Democracy, Independence and Authentic Progressivism, the People of the United States remain to be skeptical on America's Future. There have been program initiatives for many years to better our children's circumstances from the tyranny of the Teachers' Unions. In all disrespect, We the People are frustrated with these program initiatives because quite frankly, they do not work. There have been an increase of funding towards this system but it failed to improve our circumstance as well, this is due to the nature of the contracts by the Teachers' Unions. Greed. We the People hereby petition the Obama Administration to take full initiative in eliminating such unions from this public service, namely "Public Education".

Sign the Petition: http://wh.gov/Tu2

Why?

1. Public Education is a Public Service Career.
2. Public Education Receives Thousands to Millions of Dollars on a Monthly Basis.
3. Program Initiatives like "Race to the Top" or "No Child Left Behind" Don't Work.
4. Teachers' Benefits are Extraodinary Because It's State (Federal) Owned.

Sources:

True Costs of Public Education (From YouTube)
True Costs of Public Education (From Washington Post)

Where has education ever been made better by paying teachers less and making their jobs a less attractive career choice?

Where has it been made better by throwing more money at it? How is education improved by tenure? By cushy pension plans?

How has the war on terror, the war on poverty or the war on drugs improved our lives. By making the few wealthy?

 

[Ernie S.]

Where has education ever been made better by paying teachers less and making their jobs a less attractive career choice?

Somewhat correct. Their (teachers) jobs have been made an attractive career choice because of the unions. They do not have to perform to keep their jobs or get raises. They cannot be fired. They can be just as incompetent as you can imagine and still keep their jobs.

If teachers depended upon their PERFORMANCE to maintain a job (just as most non-government employees do), they would be humpin' to please by producing quality graduates. As it is, the average graduate from a big city high school is qualified for nothing other than a government job where they can sit on their asses, be overpaid for doing nothing and keep their jobs forever...like their incompetent teachers do. Hell they might even become teachers. After all, they don't really have to perform!

That makes a lot of sense...to a fucking liberal!

Don't respond to this thread, again, I don't want fake liberals posting in this thread.

Freedom of speech requires that you withdraw that remark. Anyone of any political persuasion can reply to any thread at anytime in any manner they choose.

You need a masters degree (eventually) to teach in New York State. Pay teachers less, take away their power to negotiate pay and benefits, thus reducing the attractiveness of selecting teaching as a career and thus investing the tens of thousands of dollars needed to qualify,

and you think you'll get better people?

That is idiocy.

No one is denying that teachers should be free to negotiate for their pay and benefits. They should do so on an individual basis based on performance and responsibility, not on seniority and political persuasion.
I negotiated my own salary for nearly my whole career. I consistently out earned union workers in my field, certainly not because of my boyish good looks, either. I'm very good at what I do and people are willing to pay me quite well.

 

[flacaltenn]

Where has education ever been made better by paying teachers less and making their jobs a less attractive career choice?

Where has it been made better by throwing more money at it? How is education improved by tenure? By cushy pension plans?

How has the war on terror, the war on poverty or the war on drugs improved our lives. By making the few wealthy?

Group Hug???

 

[The T]

Somewhat correct. Their (teachers) jobs have been made an attractive career choice because of the unions. They do not have to perform to keep their jobs or get raises. They cannot be fired. They can be just as incompetent as you can imagine and still keep their jobs.

If teachers depended upon their PERFORMANCE to maintain a job (just as most non-government employees do), they would be humpin' to please by producing quality graduates. As it is, the average graduate from a big city high school is qualified for nothing other than a government job where they can sit on their asses, be overpaid for doing nothing and keep their jobs forever...like their incompetent teachers do. Hell they might even become teachers. After all, they don't really have to perform!

That makes a lot of sense...to a fucking liberal!

Freedom of speech requires that you withdraw that remark. Anyone of any political persuasion can reply to any thread at anytime in any manner they choose.

You need a masters degree (eventually) to teach in New York State. Pay teachers less, take away their power to negotiate pay and benefits, thus reducing the attractiveness of selecting teaching as a career and thus investing the tens of thousands of dollars needed to qualify,

and you think you'll get better people?

That is idiocy.

No one is denying that teachers should be free to negotiate for their pay and benefits. They should do so on an individual basis based on performance and responsibility, not on seniority and political persuasion.
I negotiated my own salary for nearly my whole career. I consistently out earned union workers in my field, certainly not because of my boyish good looks, either. I'm very good at what I do and people are willing to pay me quite well.

As it should be. There is no case to be had for the argument that the Unions make that it it Constitutional to Collectively Bargain.

It doesn't exist.

 

[Ernie S.]

It's a start. But Republicans real goal is to get rid of teachers altogether. That's why they started "Sunday School". It's all you really need.

You ARE dumber than dog shit, aren't you?

Is there a movement to make our nation into a theocracy? I beleive there is, small, but it exits.

Not by anyone I know or would support.

 

[Ernie S.]

this is why you are not in charge of anything.

But should be. Free ride would be over. Duty would call...freeloaders cutoff.

this makes zero sense...Then again its you

It would make zero sense to a product of the current progressive education system.

 

[Wiseacre]

“When school children start paying union dues, that 's when I'll start representing the interests of school children.” Albert Shanker, former teacher's union boss for approx 30 years.

There's something indecently immoral about teacher unions that pour hundreds of millions of dollars into political campaigns to elect the democrats who determine their compensation and benefits. I wouldn't say it's the only reason why so many states, counties, and cities are in such dire financial straits, but it's not a minor part of the problem either.

Teacher unions are political power structures that are far more interested in their own jobs than they are in the teachers and students. It's one thing to allow unions to provide support for individual teacher rights and ensure equal opportunity and treatment. I wouldn't support a petition to eliminate them, but I would support the right of the individual teachers to opt out of the union or not pay dues. And I do not believe it should be legal for public employee unions of any type to bargain with elected reps for pay and benefits. They should receive contracts that are in line with a national average in some way, and keep the politics out of it.

 

[SAT]

True Costs of Public Education (From Washington Post)

This link is provided to back up claims in the OP. It's a letter to the editor, from someone at the Cato Institute.

Just saying.

Also...

Part of the cost of education is paying for teacher's health insurance.

Nations with national health care don't have that expense folded into the education costs.

 

[eflatminor]

If government is not to run the public educational systems in the country, who is?

Government can help to fund educational costs for some citizens but government should not run the business of education. Who should? That's easy; only an environment in which competition exists can costs be kept under control and examples of excellence be offered as 'best practices'. That competitive environment can only be realized in the marketplace, ideally a free market, where entrepreneurs can try their hand at winning education dollars, be they supplemented by the government or not.

 

[SAT]

A free market doesn't work for everything. In the case of business, you can choose your materials. In the case of public schools, they take all children.

Further, schools have multiple clients-the children, the parents, and the larger society. It's better that we have a public school system, with a curriculum designed by public officials put in place by elected officials, to meet the needs of all those clients.

 

[eflatminor]

A free market doesn't work for everything. In the case of business, you can choose your materials. In the case of public schools, they take all children.

Further, schools have multiple clients-the children, the parents, and the larger society. It's better that we have a public school system, with a curriculum designed by public officials put in place by elected officials, to meet the needs of all those clients.

Hmmm. You call it "better", yet by all reasonable measures, the results suck. I find that interesting.

Do you know what a non sequiter is? Your first sentence is exactly that.

 

[bodecea]

Divide and Conquer; a sign of patriotism?

Ask Obama the professional Community Organizer raised by Marxist Communists. Maybe he will give you a lecture for a modest sum?

you played under electrical wires as a kid huh?

Let's not talk about the alcohol issue.

 

[Intense]

Petition Text: In the Spirit of Democracy, Independence and Authentic Progressivism, the People of the United States remain to be skeptical on America's Future. There have been program initiatives for many years to better our children's circumstances from the tyranny of the Teachers' Unions. In all disrespect, We the People are frustrated with these program initiatives because quite frankly, they do not work. There have been an increase of funding towards this system but it failed to improve our circumstance as well, this is due to the nature of the contracts by the Teachers' Unions. Greed. We the People hereby petition the Obama Administration to take full initiative in eliminating such unions from this public service, namely "Public Education".

Sign the Petition: http://wh.gov/Tu2

Why?

1. Public Education is a Public Service Career.
2. Public Education Receives Thousands to Millions of Dollars on a Monthly Basis.
3. Program Initiatives like "Race to the Top" or "No Child Left Behind" Don't Work.
4. Teachers' Benefits are Extraodinary Because It's State (Federal) Owned.

Sources:

True Costs of Public Education (From YouTube)
True Costs of Public Education (From Washington Post)

Grounded and reasonable.

 

[Wry Catcher]

You need a masters degree (eventually) to teach in New York State. Pay teachers less, take away their power to negotiate pay and benefits, thus reducing the attractiveness of selecting teaching as a career and thus investing the tens of thousands of dollars needed to qualify,

and you think you'll get better people?

That is idiocy.

No one is denying that teachers should be free to negotiate for their pay and benefits. They should do so on an individual basis based on performance and responsibility, not on seniority and political persuasion.
I negotiated my own salary for nearly my whole career. I consistently out earned union workers in my field, certainly not because of my boyish good looks, either. I'm very good at what I do and people are willing to pay me quite well.

As it should be. There is no case to be had for the argument that the Unions make that it it Constitutional to Collectively Bargain.

It doesn't exist.

Man, are you stupid.

 

[rdean]

Petition Text: In the Spirit of Democracy, Independence and Authentic Progressivism, the People of the United States remain to be skeptical on America's Future. There have been program initiatives for many years to better our children's circumstances from the tyranny of the Teachers' Unions. In all disrespect, We the People are frustrated with these program initiatives because quite frankly, they do not work. There have been an increase of funding towards this system but it failed to improve our circumstance as well, this is due to the nature of the contracts by the Teachers' Unions. Greed. We the People hereby petition the Obama Administration to take full initiative in eliminating such unions from this public service, namely "Public Education".

Sign the Petition: http://wh.gov/Tu2

Why?

1. Public Education is a Public Service Career.
2. Public Education Receives Thousands to Millions of Dollars on a Monthly Basis.
3. Program Initiatives like "Race to the Top" or "No Child Left Behind" Don't Work.
4. Teachers' Benefits are Extraodinary Because It's State (Federal) Owned.

Sources:

True Costs of Public Education (From YouTube)
True Costs of Public Education (From Washington Post)

It's a start. But Republicans real goal is to get rid of teachers altogether. That's why they started "Sunday School". It's all you really need.

There has been 'Sunday School' for a few hundred years you idiot.

Bigoted Racist jerk deany...

Republicans wanting to get rid of teachers doesn't make me racist. In fact, when you look at how their party is 90% white, based in the south and LOVE Confederate "traditions", the evidence points towards them. Pointing out the obvious doesn't make me racist, it shows that I'm aware, that's all.

 

[Flopper]

If government is not to run the public educational systems in the country, who is?

Government can help to fund educational costs for some citizens but government should not run the business of education. Who should? That's easy; only an environment in which competition exists can costs be kept under control and examples of excellence be offered as 'best practices'. That competitive environment can only be realized in the marketplace, ideally a free market, where entrepreneurs can try their hand at winning education dollars, be they supplemented by the government or not.

Government can help to fund educational costs for some citizens?? Try 50 to 70%, and with that funding would come government requirements on curriculum, staffing, and testing, and the associated government bureaucracy. The average tuition cost of private elementary schools are about $5,000 and more for high school with addition costs for transportation, books, and extracurricular actives. Schools that provide for the gifted and those with learning disabilities are much higher. My son has 4 kids, one gifted, one ADHD, and two average. Cost of putting all these kids in private school would be inexcess of $35,000/yr.