What do we make of the Teacher's Union?

[Kukulofori]

.

[Raúl Duke]

The teacher's union in Puerto Rico was/is one of the most militant. They elected (for leader of the union?) an openly socialist candidate.

[Sam_b]

The EIS teacher's union in Scotland is getting more militant as well. They've passed motions, for example, to stop military recruitment in schools and also (though revoked I think?) to boycott Israeli goods.

[Kukulofori]

The one in America, I mean.

That one pretty much demands that they take money from other areas of schooling to give to the teachers. Or so I've heard.

And that's bad, I think.

[Raúl Duke]

I don't know...
Haven't heard much about it.
In Miami, my English teacher didn't wanted to be part of it (and all the other teachers were clue less) probably because to her it seemed "co-opted" to the institution/school board/etc. (Kind of like what the Left-Communists say about unions in general, although with different words. Although I'm not sure since this is like a year ago.).

[Lenin's Law]

The one in America, I mean.

That one pretty much demands that they take money from other areas of schooling to give to the teachers. Or so I've heard.

And that's bad, I think.

Theoretically, teacher's unions are supposed to fight for better rights, working conditions, benefits, wages, etc of teachers. Like, again theoretically, all unions are supposed to be fighting for better conditions for its members. Of course it's not "bad" what's bad is that in the US like all capitalist countries, the priority is not spent on properly funding education (including decent salaries and benefits for teachers) but instead on wars and bailing out Wall Street.

The enemy of education is not teachers (which is a common right wing argument) but the capitalist system.