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Teachers Shouldn’t Be Threatened by Reform
posted by: Megan | October 19, 2010, 06:09 PM   

The unions claim they don't want bad teachers in classrooms either. Yet, on the whole, they do not support comprehensive teacher evaluation and can't seem to come to terms with accountability. Instead, union leadership ignores essential issues by reframing the debate to a false assault on teachers. We regularly see quotations from union leaders about "scapegoating teachers" and the "assault on public education."

As a membership organization for professional educators, AAE certainly understands that teachers may feel the heat from this dialogue; however, teachers should not feel attacked. This dialogue is a simple recognition that just like in any other profession, there are teachers that are better than others. The attack is not on the teacher in the classroom, rather the unions that create a system where bad teachers are protected and excellent teachers suffer.

AAE was created for educators who do not identify with unions – their policies, their politics, and their lack of professionalism. AAE believes that professional educators set high standards for their students and themselves. Further, as professionals, we have a responsibility to provide our students the best education possible.

It is critical to highlight the need to reward and retain the thousands of excellent teachers around the country. President Obama asserts that we cannot afford to have bad teachers in classrooms, and promotes reforms such as performance pay for effective teachers – a policy that is generally supported by AAE members.

Teachers are on the front lines and have a huge role to play in this debate. AAE is working with policy makers, who realize that teachers are allies in finding real comprehensive solutions and are not the problem like the unions want you to think. These reforms are not an assault on public education or endangering teachers, rather solutions that will advance the professionalism of educators.

Focusing on effective teachers is not an attack; it's common sense.

Comment below.

 

 

Originally posted by Alix on AAE's website.

 

 

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