Rather than be intimidated by representatives of the teachers unions, the Conservative Teachers of America (CTA) is providing an alternative to the thuggery that has become the hallmark of the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
The NEA is known for resisting educational reforms and innovative ideas to improve the failing public schools. Victor Skinner, writing for EAGnew.org, reports that in an orientation for new teachers they were told that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was a “douche bag”, reflecting the NEA’s rabid liberal politics.
According to Skinner, Kansas City teacher Andrew Palmer is one of the conservative teachers working toward giving teachers the option to refuse to pay dues to organizations that do not represent them. Palmer is quoted as saying,
No teacher should be forced into a union.
One of the objections of CTA members is the Common Core standards which take away local control of public schools.
Membership in CTA is growing slowly and now has over 1,000 members. Palmer believes teachers unions and their liberal allies are leading the country down the wrong path, in part through a lack of focus on history and economics.
Only time will tell whether or not CTA is able to wrest control of teachers from the liberal unions. If the growth of charter schools that do not require union membership for their teachers continues at its current pace and can avoid being forced to hire NEA and AFT teachers, it may make a difference in the influence of CTA.
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