WHAT DID TEACHERS DO?

WHAT DID TEACHERS DO?

I have been thinking a lot about teachers lately. How could one not given all the news lately about Republican governors and legislators passing laws to strip teachers and other public employees of their ability to organize and negotiate issues related to their employment.

Some things going on now simply do not make sense to me. One is the apparent hostility toward teachers. The most common, universal, and unifying experiences we have all had as Americans has been going to school – getting an education. And I bet right now each of us could identify the teacher who had a profound influence in our life. I have been asking people if they had a favorite teacher in elementary or high school and without hesitation they could tell me who that teacher was. I also asked if they could identify the “worst” teacher they had and usually they could not come up with one. So, I ask myself, why the hostility toward teachers?

The second thing that does not make sense to me is the money issue. Yes, we are in the midst of a recession. But, I ask myself, is it the salaries and benefits of public employees that broke the bank. Are the salaries of public employees so exorbitant that they caused our economic house of cards to come crashing down? If our expenditures for public services were the culprit the Republican hostility toward them would make sense. As we now know, however, our current economic woes was caused by deregulation, lack of oversight, predatory lenders, unscrupulous Wall Street manipulators, and tax loopholes that allow corporations to evade paying their fair share of taxes. Where is the hostility toward these people?

I think I know part of the answer. If I am wrong I am open to being corrected. It has to do with the philosophy and ideology of the two major political parties. Historically, the Republican party, with the exception of Teddy Roosevelt, has represented the economic interests of owners and managers and the Democratic party has represented the economic interests of workers. As a result of these alignments, labor unions have traditionally supported and contributed to Democratic candidates while owners and corporations have supported and contributed to Republican candidates. If this is accurate, it now makes sense that Republicans now vilify teachers. It is a political tactic. In those states, including Tennessee, where Republicans have gained control of the governorship and legislature, they can now pass laws to restrict or eliminate a major economic source for their opponents. Teachers and other public employees have, thus, become scapegoats for Republican strategists who seek to enhance their opportunities for election and reelection in future years.

In case it is not clear, let me come right out and admit my bias. I am pro-teacher and pro-union. Pro-union because my grandfather and father were members of the railroad union. I am pro-teacher because I was married to a first grade teacher for fifty-seven years. Her first job, in 1952, was in Macon, Ga. She had forty-two students and had a salary of $2400. Her last year, in 1990, before she retired was in Nashville at Eakin school. She had twenty-four students and had a salary of $36,000. She was a member of the MNEA, the TEA, and the NEA. She was not a “thug.” She was not even a rabid union member. But she did recognize and appreciate that the unions did represent her interests and could negotiate on her behalf in ways she could not as an individual. She was a dedicated wonderful teacher who loved her students, just as were the colleagues she knew during her forty year teaching career.

I do not believe Republicans dislike teachers, state employees, firemen, or policemen. They just do not like for them to be organized.