TEA : Tennessee Teachers' Rights Under Attack

[Horse with no Name]

Read the last sentence. Pretty much says it all.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The state Legislature will soon debate bills that would force major changes in the way teachers are represented in negotiations with school boards, and in how their membership dues are collected. The measures would also prohibit collective bargaining by teachers.

Jerry Winters, director of government relations and chief lobbyist for the Tennessee Education Association (TEA), says the new laws are an attack on Tennessee teachers.

"These bills are an attack on the rights of teachers to collectively have a voice on implications of their jobs, and it's just really an attack on the organization. It has nothing to do with trying to move education forward in this state."

Some school board members and other supporters of the changes say financial pressures and the need to improve standardized test scores require more flexibility in dealing with teachers. The proposed laws would prohibit payroll deduction of dues for public employees and make it illegal for TEA's political action committee to make contributions to any candidate for office.

[Viking12]

1. What an unfortunate acronym...

[Tippy]

2. In TN the School Boards are solidly backing the bill to strip the teachers of barginning rights.

Just last year TN won $ 500 million in Race to the Top funds. My question is if we want our kids to suceed why fix what is not broken?

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/feb/19/an-assault-on-teachers-rights/?opiniontimes

[spanone]

3. does anyone detect a trend???