Exactly. Despite what some posters here seem to think, no union rep has ever set foot in my classroom and so much as suggested what or how I teach. If they did, they would leave feet first or out the window.
Nor mine. Their influence is in endorsing and donating to school board member candidates who are often hand picked by George Soros.
I've had two encounters with my union, the Texas State Teachers Association, which is the Local Branch of the NEA. Though still political in a way that I don't support, That is a far better union than Randi Weingarten's outfit IMHO.
In one, an elementary student with emotional disturbance and what was then called mental retardation had kicked me, which is a not uncommon event in the life of a special educator. The union rep for my campus approached me and said, "I don't like to see my members get assaulted."
I knew right away where she was going with that: she was hoping I would say "I don't want to complain about that, it's part of my job" so she could reluctantly agree not to take it further.
Instead I said, "me neither. What can we do about it." She was quick-witted and caught on to what I was doing immediately and recommended we wait to see if it happened again.
I found out later that she was leader of the local NEA Republicans. I doubt that the AFT would allow that.
Later, she and the union were a big help when a legal matter came up. I was provided a lawyer who performed hours and hours of legal work, and brought his partner to the hearing to help question witnesses. The hearing went entirely in my favor, and I teach on today. The NEA legal aid benefit is uncapped, unlike the AFT's.
Whatever your political beliefs, I highly recommend you avail yourself of union protection as a teacher.
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