Teachers’ union discourages members from volunteering at school

June 14, 11:49 PMEducation ExaminerDonna Gundle-Krieg

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The following notice is from the Education Action Group. I welcome the opposing viewpoint and will post anything from them to explain what is happening, because I sure don't understand. 

NOTICE from Education Action Group: 

 A teacher at Lincoln Consolidated Schools in Washtenaw County forwarded us a union memo encouraging teachers to sit on the sidelines, rather than volunteer to lead after-school activities.
 
The reason? The school board recently voted to eliminate compensation for teachers who oversee various extracurricular activities, like Spelling Bee and Quiz Bowl.
 
It’s clear the budget cuts were made because the district is strapped for cash. And it’s clear that some teachers understand the situation, and would still like to continue working with kids after school on a voluntary basis.
 
But the union says no.
 
“We understand  that many members have developed programs that they would like to see continue, and that there are others who feel it’s unfair for students to be denied experiences because of financial decisions made by the school board,” the memo said. 
 
”However, we feel it’s important that parents and the community see and feel the ramifications of the state’s inability to appropriately fund public education.
 
“We need the parents to be concerned enough that they are motivated to become educational advocates in Lansing.”
 
Once again, so much for the MEA’s stated motto, “Putting Kids First.” A more accurate slogan would be “Making our Political Points First.”
 
How can MEA leaders look themselves in the mirror when they allow kids to go without extracurricular supervision, just to score a point for their political agenda?
 
This is what we mean when we say our system has produced “labor-based” schools instead of “student-based “ schools. The union’s focus is the collection of every penny possible, rather than the development of children.
 
If this isn’t a clear illustration of the need for reform, nothing is."
 
To see the entire memo from the union, click here.

 
See also:
 
Stimulus money divides districts and teachers’ unions 
 
Should teachers’ union dues pay for politics?