Yepsen To Teachers: “Shut Up And Take It”
David Yepsen writes in today’s Des Moines Register about the “partisan attitudes” of Iowa’s teachers:
The Iowa State Education Association has become way too partisan. It’s basically a subsidiary of the Iowa Democratic Party, and that partisanship is hurting education in the state.While teachers have every right to form a union or campaign, the ISEA needs to rethink strategies. No interest group in a state as closely divided as Iowa can expect to be effective if it works only one side of the street.
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They’ve come a long way since the days when ISEA operative George Brown, a Republican, helped win passage of the state’s public employee collective bargaining law from a Republican Legislature. And they’ve come a long way since they endorsed Republican Terry Branstad for re-election in 1990.
I think the comparison to the Branstad endorsement bears some thought from a different perspective: what happened to the Iowa GOP? Well, strangely enough – not much. Terry Branstad rolled out a rather comprehensive plan near the end of his time in office that was a very thoughtful approach to Iowa’s educational system. Naturally, nearly everything Branstad proposed was shot down by the GOP-led Iowa Legislature.
Since that time – what has changed about the position of the Iowa GOP in terms of educational support and improvement?
Mr. Yepsen – the answer here is very simple: either the state’s education system can move forward in addressing the issues of the 21st century (better trained teachers, better math/science education, emphasis on early education), or we can spin our wheels talking about vouchers, public displays of piety and corporal punishment.
Which direction do you think the teachers union and the state should support?
Addendum: The Register also reports on the real issues the state’s education system is facing this morning.
In June, 75 high school physics teachers in Iowa will be eligible for retirement.Although it isn’t clear how many of them will leave the classroom, only 12 college graduates stand ready to step into their shoes, according to state Department of Education projections.
The answer to Iowa’s math and science teacher deficit lies in a series of financial incentives to recruit and retain more, Iowa Department of Education Director Judy Jeffrey told the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.
One thing is very obvious: demagouging the teacher’s union will do nothing to address this very real – and very important – problem.
Addendum II: More discussion here.
- Sousy