In a statement on Thursday, Tennessee's Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) argued that "unions exist to promote mediocrity" and that they "exist to promote the lowest common denominator," according to a report released by Nashville Public Radio.
So I think if we want this education reform, and we want a good teacher in every classroom, as long as the unions are there to be a filter between the teachers and the administration, that’s not gonna happen.
This statement of value is not entirely surprising from the leader of the Republicans in the state Senate, but expresses clearly a viewpoint that is not rooted in reality.
In fact, the history of the National Education Association is rooted in the push for social equality and equal opportunity, with the belief that every child deserves a high-quality education. In 1857, when the NEA was founded, this was the invitation extended by Thomas Valentine of the New York Teachers Association:
Believing that what has been accomplished for the states by state associations may be done for the whole country by a National Association, we, the undersigned, invite our fellow-educators throughout the United States to assemble...for the purpose of organizing a National Teachers Association...We cordially extend this invitation to all practical teachers in the North, the South, the East, and the West, who are willing to unite in a general effort to promote the general welfare of our country by concentrating the wisdom and power of numerous minds, and distributing among all the accumulated experiences of all; who are ready to devote their energies and their means to advance the dignity, respectability and usefulness of their calling; and who, in fine, believe that the time has come when the teachers of the nation should gather.
The impact of social learning is well-known in psychological and sociological research. The fundamental purpose of classroom learning - the reason why children learn together with their peers - is to help children learn more effectively through the examples of others and through the collaboration and competition that classrooms provide. In the same way, bringing together groups of educators promotes best practices, shares common wisdom, and unites the profession around a common purpose.
There are, as in any organization, risks of groupthink and mission drift. But here is the 2006 statement of mission, vision, and values adopted at the 2006 NEA Representative Assembly:
The National Education Association
We, the members of the National Education Association of the United States, are the voice of education professionals. Our work is fundamental to the nation, and we accept the profound trust placed in us.
Our Vision
Our vision is a great public school for every student.
Our Mission
Our mission is to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.
Our Core Values
These principles guide our work and define our mission:
Equal Opportunity. We believe public education is the gateway to opportunity. All students have the human and civil right to a quality public education that develops their potential, independence, and character.
A Just Society. We believe public education is vital to building respect for the worth, dignity, and equality of every individual in our diverse society.
Democracy. We believe public education is the cornerstone of our republic. Public education provides individuals with the skills to be involved, informed, and engaged in our representative democracy.
Professionalism. We believe that the expertise and judgment of education professionals are critical to student success. We maintain the highest professional standards, and we expect the status, compensation, and respect due all professionals.
Partnership. We believe partnerships with parents, families, communities, and other stakeholders are essential to quality public education and student success.
Collective Action. We believe individuals are strengthened when they work together for the common good. As education professionals, we improve both our professional status and the quality of public education when we unite and advocate collectively.
NEA also believes every student in America, regardless of family income or place of residence, deserves a quality education. In pursuing its mission, NEA has determined that we will focus the energy and resources of our 3.2 million members on improving the quality of teaching, increasing student achievement and making schools safer, better places to learn.
So, in fact, the mission of the National Education Association reflects a commitment to the highest professional standards and to raising up the quality of all individuals by working together toward a common goal. This is the same fundamental purpose that created our United States of America after the Revolutionary War:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
There is a risk that by including everyone as part of a union, you might allow a few mediocre teachers to remain stagnant in their professional development. But I would challenge Senator Ramsey, or any opponent of teacher unions, to find a single example of a teacher who should have been fired, but was not fired, due to the influence of a union.
Speaking in generalities, using recycled talking points, is extremely un-helpful in policy-making. It is obvious that groups like the National Education Association are focused on core values that make a high-quality education accessible to every child, which means that we should cut waste, but not cut corners. Without clearly defined professional standards like those developed and maintained by teachers unions, it's unclear how lawmakers like professional auctioneer Ron Ramsey are going to be able to measure success or failure.