School Reform Without Input Doomed To Fail, Says New AFT Prez

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

“When education reform is done without teachers’ input it’s doomed to failure,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said yesterday, “When education reform is done with teachers, it is destined for success.” Though Weingarten’s packed audience at the National Press Club included a big-city mayor, it was New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, not DC Mayor Adrian Fenty. Bloomberg introduced Weingarten, who noted that while “The mayor and I both care passionately about public education, that doesn’t mean we always see eye to eye about how to translate caring into action. But we met each other halfway and learned to work together to find real solutions to the challenges confronting our schools.” Elected President of AFT last July, Weingarten also serves as President of AFT’s Local 2, which represents some 200,000 public school educators in New York City. Asked about the current struggle between the Fenty administration and DC teachers, Weingarten said that the AFT “has reached out to Chancellor Rhee and is playing a supportive role with the Washington Teacher’s Union.” Reacting to reports over the weekend that Fenty and Rhee may seek federal legislation to declare a “state of emergency” in order to avoid bargaining with the union (Fenty, Rhee Look for Ways Around Union 11/16 Washington Post), WTU Local 6 President George Parker – who was also in the audience Monday – told Union City that “I don’t really see where that has any value. The union really needs to be – and wants to be – a partner in improving our schools. The union is not separate from teachers and – like Randi said – when you attack unions you attack teachers. The way we’re going to build a better school system is through collaboration, working with teachers and not doing it arbitrarily.” Though he acknowledged “differences in philosophy” with Fenty and Rhee, Parker said “hopefully we can work through” the differences. “I believe we can transform the school system while being fair to the workers.”

- report/photo by Chris Garlock