The establishment of the teachers unions was definitely vital in ensuring teachers received better pay, benefits, and better working conditions. Teachers up until the late 19th century were not given these necessities and were in constant conflict with the powerful school boards. I felt this chapter providing a great historical perspective of teachers unions and made me reflect on many of the current struggles between public unions and local governments and businesses. Unions are critical in protecting middle class workers against powerful businesses and in also ensuring that they have a strong representation in government. I think the teachers unions specifically, helps the teaching profession maintain some level of status. It seems as if one of the current goals of conservatives throughout the country is to deprive teachers of rights and benefits in order to take away that bit of status that they might possess. Teachers have become an easy target and a scapegoat for many of the different states financial troubles. Teachers unions have become very powerful however and we have seen some of the negative effects of this with abuses of tenure, rubber rooms and the last in first out policy.
The whole notion of the “American way of life” was and still is comical to me. I understand why it originated as it was used mainly as a propaganda tool used to counter the threat of communism. However, the American way of life is clearly not the same. People, especially immigrants, have completely bought in to the whole idea of owning a nice home and a car in order to achieve the American dream. But for hardworking middle class families, owning these things often means living above your means and we all witnessed the devastating effects of this during the subprime mortgage meltdown a few years ago. America still remains the land of opportunity, but people should stop buying into the whole concept of the American dream or way of life and all the false promises and just make the most out of those opportunities they have. In my opinion, this will continue to be used a way to keep the poor and the middle class working towards an almost unachievable goal.
Do teachers unions play an important role in maintaining or improving the status of teachers as working professionals? Are notions and beliefs such as the “American way of life” used to motivate and encourage students?
