Acton Institute Powerblog Archives

Post Tagged 'teachers unions'

May 07, 2021

A silver lining in the Golden State’s school shutdowns

What happens in California doesn’t tend to stay in California – and that’s usually bad for America. For instance, “55% of all public school students, including those in charter schools, were at home, in distance learning, as of April 30, according to an EdSource analysis of new data released by the state.” Continue Reading...
March 25, 2021

Equity? New bill could kick minority teachers out of the classroom

Lawmakers in Minnesota, the crucible of last summer’s deadly riots, have made a concerted effort to increase the number of minorities teaching in the public schools. That goal is on a collision course with a bill that would cut off pathways to becoming a teacher and could throw more minority teachers out of work than the state recruits. Continue Reading...
February 05, 2021

Chicago’s teacher standoff shows the injustice of public-sector unions

At the beginning of the year, Chicago Public Schools were scheduled to reopen by the end of January. Yet just days before the launch, members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) decided otherwise, with a sizable majority voting to delay in-person learning against the wishes of the mayor, city council, school district, local medical professionals, and countless parents and taxpayers. Continue Reading...
January 15, 2021

As children thrive at charter schools, progressives threaten their future

The COVID-19 global pandemic has exposed significant fault lines in America’s educational system, testing moral and philosophical commitments among parents, teachers, school administrators, and politicians alike. Punctuated by media battles between teachers’ unions, governors, and the president, one thing has become increasingly clear: America’s public education system is far too vulnerable to the whims of partisanship and far too insulated from the promises of reform. Continue Reading...
December 21, 2020

Your child’s misery is a price the NEA is willing to pay

The National Education Association has released a new report admitting that virtual schooling has subjected America’s youngest and poorest students to “learning loss,” “social-emotional challenges,” and “trauma.” However, the nation’s largest teachers union implies that schoolchildren’s setbacks should rank below the interests of its 3 million dues-paying members, because kids are “resilient.” Continue Reading...
November 30, 2020

Why are schools closed? Unions and partisanship, study finds

On Monday, children across the nation ceased giving thanks as they returned to school after their extended holiday break. However, millions more would rejoice if they had that opportunity (as would their parents), an opportunity that a new study finds they are denied not on the basis of science, but by the brawn of union strength and political pressure. Continue Reading...
October 14, 2020

The forgotten child: Pandemic policies are leaving kids behind

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed many victims, from the millions who have contracted the virus directly to many others who continue to endure its social and economic disruptions. The suffering has been particularly acute for the children who continue to be confined at home, whether struggling to adapt to remote-learning regimens or remaining mysteriously absent altogether. Continue Reading...