Noted reformer praises
union role in improving schools

Noted school reformer Deborah Meier says despite many imperfections and dysfunction, teacher unions are not to blame for all that is wrong with public education and are unfairly and inaccurately portrayed by their critics as opponents of "reform" and school improvement.

In a thoughtful article, "On Unions and Education,"  in the Winter 2004 issue of Dissent magazine, Meier contends there are many reasons why teachers and parents, and their friends and relatives, need to be the allies of their local teacher unions.

Meier notes that, in her view, unions are not without faults and does not advocate "falling into line behind union leaders." But she does contend it's important to dispel the "inaccurate idea that unions are to blame for the difficulties of school reform." 

She points out that the nature of what is passed off as "reform" often is the problem.

"Indeed," she says, "it is often assumed that reform means allowing those at the top of the hierarchy to act decisively -- that is, outside of formally bargained rules -- in order to get better results. Or it means abandoning the public system entirely for that alternate system of decision making: the free -- well, sort of free -- market."

"Teachers will resist reforms," Meier says, "and will only 'comply' under duress, unless they own the reforms and believe in them. Of course, they resist; it is an honorable response to arbitrary power. If teachers didn't resist each new fad, they'd be lobotomized."

Meier concludes, "Reforms are not always good, and change is not always in the interest of better learning. Healthy resistance is sometimes what we most need, side by side with thoughtful proposals for change -- and this is what we will sorely miss if teachers' unions are defeated by the relentless hostility of their many opponents."

Meier founded the Central Park East schools in New York City and the Mission Hill School in Boston. She is author of The Power of Their Ideas, Will Standards Save Public Education?, and In Schools We Trust.