It would take a forum longer than a letter to the editor to correct the half-truths and mischaracterizations in Zack Smith’s editorial about teacher unions.
Teacher unions have taken unpopular political positions in recent years? You mean positions such as securing funding at the state level for schools and higher education?
Or the stance that Tallahassee should stop meddling in education or calling for more standardized testing without allowing local school boards to make decisions appropriate for its own schools?
Teacher unions are important and effective not only in this advocacy for students, but also because educators with secure employment are better, more effective educators.
Moreover, the collective bargaining agreements negotiated among unions and school boards provide procedures for removing bad teachers. Everyone talks about bad, ineffective teachers, but no one ever talks about bad administrators who don’t use these procedures to remove bad teachers.
Also, Smith must be living in a completely different universe if he thinks teacher unions have a monopoly on government in the state of Florida. The legislature has been unfriendly to education in this state for several years now by handing down more and more budget cuts, and with Gov. Rick Scott and the incoming legislature it will be more of the same and worse. Universities, high schools and elementary schools in this state cannot suffer more cuts and still provide quality education.
The teacher unions are one of the few groups taking a stand for Florida’s students.
Editor's note: This letter refers to this column.
