In response to:
Here's a video of the retiring General Counsel from the National Education Association, another teachers union. He makes VERY clear the true purpose of teachers' unions. It's NOT about education.
http://youtu.be/OwxiRXqH_hQ
Need examples? Who is the top spender in California politics, according to the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)?
http://www.twitpic.com/75tc0v/full
Who is a driving force behind California Governor Jerry Brown's big tax hike initiative?
http://www.twitpic.com/9gi4e1
I have a great deal of sympathy for Michelle Apperson, the Sacramento "Teacher of the Year" who was laid off. Assuming she deserved the award, she should not have been laid off.
Sixth-grade teacher Michelle Apperson passed down a simple message to her students.
"My favorite teachers growing up were the ones who challenged me to go out of my comfort level a little bit, strive for the stars, and work hard," the veteran California educator wrote on her school's bio page.
Despite just being named Sacramento's "Teacher of the Year," Apperson was laid off as part of a massive budget cut.
"It...
Jerry Brown won't challenge teachers
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/27/BATQ1HU1VQ.DTL
"No one knows the power of such unions in California better than Gov. Jerry Brown.
You'll notice that even as he's proposed draconian cuts to health and welfare programs and the state's universities, and asked taxpayers to pony up extra for several more years, Brown has been careful not to touch teachers.
"He knows good and well what the California Teachers Association can do for him - or against him - in an election."