Union’s concern is not the children

Can we now drop the pretense that the teachers’ union wishes to help our children?. With their refusal to help bring $40 million to our district by not joining the request for Race to the Top money, it should be clear to all that the union simply wishes to protect the status quo and nothing else.

Although the union may say many things and argue many points, the real reason for their refusal to join in on this windfall of money was that the teachers would then need to be graded on quality and some might be terminated for poor performance. Welcome to the real world. My only explanation for this position is that if the quality of the education doesn’t get better, then it forces the argument to pouring more money at the problem.

I have two children in Glendale Unified and I can tell you there are some great teachers and then there are some poor teachers. It is clear to the parents, clear to the principals and clear in my children’s test scores at the end of the year. I know most teachers go into their career with the best intentions and their goal is to help our children, however, their union’s goal is not the same. Money and power is their goal and we as parents should demand more.

Kenneth Kaplan
Glendale