Teacher Unions Vs Charter Schools

Unmasked

We are finding the conniptions of the Teacher Unions over charter schools "exceedingly diverting", as Jane Austen would say. 

The Post-Primary Teachers Association (aka, the secondary school teacher union) has announced a member ban on all members having anything to do with charter schools.  But, like all educational unions, it seeks to control not just its own members, but government schools themselves--telling principals and administrators what they can and cannot do, with the implicit strike-threat if they are foolish enough to disobey.


A nascent charter school in Northland had plans to sub-contract parts of its curriculum to local high schools.  According to the regional newspaper, The Advocate

. . . the kura [charter school] has plans for some senior students to take certain classes, such as economics or trade studies at external schools such as Whangarei Boys' High School and NorthTec.  The ban on interaction between PPTA members and charter schools means this couldn't happen and students would miss out on opportunities.

"The principals [in Whangarei] are rattled. They are being stood over by the PPTA and they have no room to move," Ms Tipene said.  Whangarei Boys' High School headmaster Al Kirk said until the union held a meeting with members next week he was not sure what the future relationship between his school and the Leadership Academy looked like.

Note the power and control over government schools held by the unions.  No surprises there.  As a consequence, we are able to see even more clearly the authoritarian mentality of the unions.  Moreover, the union is unmasking itself.  When it has its PR hat on, the PPTA, along with other teacher unions, likes to wear the mask of standing up for parents as if to protect and ensure a quality education for children in New Zealand. 

Now the truth is coming out.  The union is not interested in "quality education" at all.  It is relentlessly driven to protect its members, the state unionised teachers--at all costs, quality education be damned.  Angela Roberts, the PPTA union president actually unmasked herself and her members this week:

The president of the PPTA, Angela Roberts, told the Advocate communities thinking the charter schools would raise Maori achievement were mistaken.  "We get the frustration in these communities, but [charter schools] is not the solution," she said. 

She said the kura would mean roll declines for other schools in Northland and fewer resources for the schools and, ultimately, the threat of lost jobs for PPTA members.  "We're ready to fight [charter schools] all the way," she said. [Emphasis, ours]

Angela Roberts once pronounced government schools to be a taonga, a treasure.   She is now going on to reveal just what kind of taonga they are.  As far as the PPTA President is concerned, government schools are, "My Precious . .ssssssssss . . my Precious"--the One Ring, to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them."