COMMENTARY | Democrats once again demonstrated their allegiance to unions earlier this week when refusing to support a bill simply because the teachers union opposed two aspects of the proposal.
A Cleveland education reform plan, touted by many as a model other districts should follow to enhance academics and save taxpayer funds, remains in limbo due to the inability of liberal to focus on the best interests of the children.
The plan does not propose to make radical collective bargaining changes or force teachers to pay a higher rate for their own health insurance.
Even though Ohio Democratic politicians are on board with the vast majority of the education plan, they are unwilling to vote for legislation, which the teachers union opposes.
The two sticking points:
(1) The Cleveland Teachers Union and the Ohio Federation of Teachers oppose the "fresh start" portion of the plan designed to eliminate carryover agreements and bargain from a clean slate, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
(2) Progressive lawmakers also are unwilling to grant school district officials the right to have a significant influence in making curriculum and staffing decisions at low-performing schools.
Apparently Democrats feel that union leaders are far more capable of directing school instruction than highly experienced and educated administrators. The ongoing controversy over alleged sick-time and shift-swapping abuse in the Cleveland Fire Department, which caused millions of lost taxpayer dollars, illustrates the inability of a union to police itself.
OFT President Melissa Cropper "warned" legislators that unions "across the state" will oppose the curriculum and staffing provisions in the bill, according to the Plain Dealer. There is no logical reason to oppose the input of the employer on staff-competency decisions. School officials are entitled to the ability to take necessary steps to remove sub-standard teachers from the classroom.
Unions survive on dues paid from employees, so the organization works for them. Democrats fill their campaign coffers with donations from public employee unions, so politicians work for them.
Who advocates strictly for the children and the betterment of public school education?
School board members are hired by the community during the election cycle and have a responsibility to look after not only resident's hard-earned tax dollars but for the children comprise the student body. Board members and by extension, building principals, cannot do their jobs when their authority is hampered by political motives. Following Democratic logic, the only good plan is one that unions support.
