Thursday, March 13, 2008

Paying the nation's worst teachers--to go away

The Center for Union Facts is offering $10,000 a piece to the ten worst union-protected teachers in America to get out of the classroom. Richard Day at Kentucky School News and Views calls the move "a cynical gimmick designed to ramp up anti-public school sentiment."

Well, with all due respect to Richard, public schools seem to be doing a pretty good job of ramping up that sentiment all by themselves. Besides, some of us fail to see what is cynical about pointing out inefficiency and corruption in institutions that claim to be serving children, but instead routinely let self-serving and dishonest teachers unions have their way with them.

4 comments:

Richard Day said...

Martin,

Sure. Point taken.

Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't a cynical gimmick.

The problem isn't pointing out what's wrong with our public institutions. Heck...I think that's akin to patriotism. As you know, I publish "bad news" about public schools all the time at KSN&C. But, where's the balance at the anti-union site?

It's the anti-union group's single minded, purposeful and unbalanced approach that I question. These issues never break all one way - or all the other way. To present them as such is ...well, cynical.

Cynically yours,

Richard

Martin Cothran said...

Richard,

But I guess I must be more tolerant of cynicism when performed for a good cause and bankrolled by private money than I am of corruption engaged in for selfish reasons at a cost to taxpayers--and, ultimately, children.

But I see your point.

Anonymous said...

If this guy actually gives a shizzle about education, why doesn't he pay $10,000 apiece to the ten BEST teachers, to get them to stay on the job?

Martin Cothran said...

Maybe they're harder to find.