Teachers

So, most people by now are aware of what is going on in Wisconsin.  Basically you have a governor who is trying to remove collective bargaining rights from public workers specifically in regards to benefits.  They would retain the right to collective bargain for salary.  First a disclaimer, I work a blue collar job but I am going to school for an education degree but I think you need to be aware of some things…
1.  Teachers are not considered professionals
   They are semi professional.  We looked at this in my education class.  There are elements where they are considered professionals but others where they are not.  My father and I debated this topic yesterday and he made a valid point.  There really is no such thing as a professional except for maybe a doctor and lawyer.  Both of these take very specialized education and accreditation process, while teaching has a shell of this, it is not the same and thus can’t be viewed as being equal.  I believe teaching can move towards this but there will be resistance.
2.  While teachers salaries rarely match the hours they put in, their benefit package on average is much better than that of the average Joe.
   First, while everyone needs to be paid and fairly, if you are in teaching simply for a check then you need to leave the job.  Resign immediately.  Teaching is a service to the community and nation first and foremost.  Second, Gov. Walker is right, I wish I had the package that teachers had or even what he is offering.  The average person pays 20% for health and pension plans.  Teachers in Wisconsin pay like 3%.  They would pay around 13% after this bill passes (which it will).  No jobs even professional, have across the board benefit packages guaranteed not to mention the idea of tenure.  Tenure BTW, is the worst idea ever.  No one should be able to keep their job because they have been there for 10 or more years.  If you aren’t doing the job then you should be removed.  Now tenured teachers can be removed but the process is long and difficult.  It needs to be much easier.
3.  “If you can’t do, teach.”
   This is a mentality that has fueled the education system for a while.  College students that can’t figure out what they want to do with themselves, see teaching as an easy out.  So the teaching field does not get the cream of the crop.  There are some teachers who are passionate about teaching and are gifted for it but, these are not the majority.  The majority are people who have went into teaching because it was an easy check.  They do their jobs but nothing more.  I have had the blessing of knowing some very good teachers but I also have meet some people that needed to be thrown on their butts out the door.  We need to change this idea of teaching and make it where college flunkies don’t get in.
4.  Teacher Unions are Political Machines
   They are, they represent views that don’t match that of their constituents but of elitists.  They are not interested in bettering education but in advancing the profitability of their teachers.  Since their dues come directly from teacher’s paychecks, they are highly interested in increasing their storehouses.  The idea of national unions are a bad idea.  Local unions yes, national no.