Teachers’ Unions Court G.O.P.

[iandhr]

Source: NY TIMES

The strike by public school teachers in Chicago this month drew national attention to a fierce debate over the future of education and exposed the ruptured relationship between teachers’ unions and Democrats like Mayor Rahm Emanuel.


Over the past few years, lawmakers who have previously been considered solid supporters of teachers’ unions have tangled with them over a national education agenda that includes new performance evaluations based partly on test scores, the overhaul of tenure and the expansion of charter schools.

As these traditional political alliances have shifted, teachers’ unions have pursued some strange bedfellows among lawmakers who would not appear to be natural allies.

In Illinois, the top two recipients of political contributions from the Illinois Education Association this year are Republicans, including a candidate for the State House who has Tea Party support and advocates lower taxes and smaller government.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/25/us/politics/challenged-by-old-allies-teachers-unions-court-gop.html?hp

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Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

[FarPoint]

1. They will surely shrivel up and die...the union that is....

I understand their anger but the GOP is not source to offer relief and support. Sounds like insider sabotage to me.

[Phlem]

2. Rahm Emanuel

is no democrat. Never liked/trusted him. Never will.

-p

[Smilo]

6. x2 n/t

[mopinko]

7. well he aint no republican, either.

[MessiahRp]

12. He and Obama and their Oprah approved Charter School Plan is just as bad as the GOP Voucher Plans

Either way they're blaming public schools and their unions for the mess that politicians created by defunding public schools more and more every year. If you're not spending money on school repairs, good teachers and a solid wide curriculum and extra curriculars, your school is going to fail. Giving money to private schools that abhor the well rounded teaching of public school textbooks and sell your child to the highest bidder (charter schools) is a MASSIVE waste of taxpayer money and a key reason why we supposedly can't afford to fix the schools we SHOULD be focusing on.

[Phlem]

16. Word

I explain this to educated people, my father in law being a wealthy engineer, and they still can't comprehend the depths of depravity that our political system has become in this year of 2012.

It's like a friggin mystery to the older generation.



-p

[Ash_F]

3. I would say run better Democrats /nt

[Iliyah]

4. Well hello, the death of the Teachers Union

imminent most diffidently, Bye bye now.

[chuckstevens]

5. Bad Idea

Any teacher's union member who will listen to the GOP should realize that they are being courting by the devil! Does ANYONE trust the Republicans with their pension money? The GOP will promise to find "common ground" with the teachers and then they will privatize public school into charter schools so fast you head will spin. Talk to people who have worked at charter schools: 70 hour weeks, with less pay, and no rights. BAD IDEA!

[jonesgirl]

8. They're in for a rude awakening if they fall for this gimmick from the republicans. Somebody

better give them a heads up that Romney doesn't believe teacher's, firemen, police and city/county workers have the right to bargain. TRUTH
The teacher's should be happy they had the choice to strike, and still go back to their jobs.

[elbloggoZY27]

9. Teachers!!!!!!

Won't support you guys and dolls anymore.

Booooooo!!!!!!!

[DaveJ]

10. Teachers never struck me as party line voters

The only 2 teachers I know (mom and stepmom) are both Republicans.

Regardless of endorsements I think teachers do whatever they want when it comes to voting.

[mike_c]

11. I call BS....

Teachers unions are very good at identifying allies. I know-- I'm an officer in mine. The true part of this report is that many teachers unions are dissatisfied by the declining real support we're getting from democratic party office holders. Meetings of my union now regularly feature denunciations of democrats who don't work for us once in office, but happily accept our help when they're campaigning. That's NOT the same as cozying up to the GOP. If democrats are letting us down, we know that republicans will be FAR worse.

[Citizen Worker]

13. This is what happens when our choices are limited to Business Party #1 and Business Party #2.

Instead of being whipsawed between the two parties why not redirect the resources into building a political party that represents the interests of working people? Sure makes sense to me.

[obxhead]

14. Only Rahm could drive a Union towards Republicans.

[madrchsod]

15. this is how the process works in selecting candidates

http://www.ieanea.org/legislative/ipace/

my wife who is the local afsmce union political chair went to a regional and state selection meetings where candidates were selected for afsmce endorsements. anyone no matter the party can fill out the questionnaire and submit it to the political chairs. the recent one had a republican asking for the unions endorsement. the republican lost by one vote.the last election illinois afsmce endorsed a republican for state treasurer.

if a republican receives an endorsement from either the afsmce or the iean they deserve it. after all the unions endorsed quinn and along with the democratic senate leader has stuck a knife in the back of the unions.

it`s a love hate relationship with the unions and the democratic machine in illinois.neither one can live without each other.