If we move to a system of school choice, we will be directly defunding public schools and making the jobs of hardworking public teachers and staff much more difficult and strained.
At least that’s the argument coming from unions and union supporters whenever anyone mentions school choice.
Of course, the follow-up question is…why? How does giving people a choice in education lead to defunding public schools?
If you pose that question to a union enthusiast, they won’t answer it. To answer that question would necessitate an admission; an admission that many, if not most, parents would choose to leave their public schools if they had the option. No butts in seats, no funding. The unions are so used to having a complete monopoly that they can’t even imagine having to compete for their customers – the students.
National Director of Research for School Choice Now, Corey DeAngelis, has uncovered an anxious email from a Colorado teachers union leader, instructing members to show up to a town forum to oppose the opening of another charter school. That in and of itself is not a surprise. Obviously union teachers would be opposed to competing educational options for their students. However, it is rare to see them admit that offering choice would mean a mass exodus and a loss of money.
DeAngelis posted a copy of the email to Twitter.
The email reads:
Please note that if Ascent gets approved, it is anticipated to cause a further decrease in enrollment across our district. For those of you who don’t know less students equals less $$, please think about signing up to speak at the forum and providing your thoughts on whether we need another charter in our small town. Thanks.
There are two teachers unions in he US. American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. They are slightly different and should be identified when talking about a teachers union. Most of the problems are with the AFT which is in the large cities. Our teachers here on he shore are represented by the NEA.
The NEA is a mess as well, but they are more careful about their media presence. Regardless, the best thing that could happen to public schools would be for tenure to be removed, and school choice by parents becoming the norm. No industry in America has carte blanche like education, and it’s high time for them to work just like the rest of us.