Today, the American Public School System is confronting what could be their armageddon. They're challenging the basic principles of public education with unions and unacceptable curricula. If the parents of our children in public schools totally wake up and exercise their real power in this system, it could spell the end of public school unions, and even public schools period.
Over the last 30 years the public schools systems in America have been overran by public school unions. There are teachers unions, classified unions, janitor unions, bus driver unions, etc., etc. The administrations of these school districts are staff that have moved from these unions into administrative positions. When these unions figured out their power over these school districts, they have basically taken over the control of all aspects of the districts.
All of the public school unions "negotiate" all pay and benefits for their members, as well as, the operational standards of the district. Originally created to represent staff in salary and benefits negotiations, they have evolved into everything from curricula to selection of School Board candidates that will support their positions. The so-called negotiations are between the union committees and administrative staff committees with the results benefiting both groups. If you want to know how administrative salaries have gotten out of control, remember that whatever the unions negotiate for their staff, in almost every case, also goes to the administrative staff.
So, the unions and administration take care of each other by pretending to negotiate for salaries and benefits, deciding what curricula will be used, and who will be elected to the School Board. Everyone is happy with the system, except the only group still not organized into a union, the parents and students. You might ask yourself, what good would it be to have the parents organized? Well let me tell you.
Almost every public school district in America is funded based on "Average Daily Attendance". They get paid for little butts in the seats everyday. So, as an example, let's say the district gets $10,000 a year for each student to provide educational programming. Every day a student in attendance at the school earns the district about $56. There are about 180 days in each school year. You do the math.
If parents could get themselves organized they could bring a school district to their financial knees if they held their students out of school for a week. Think about it. In a school of 300 kids that is almost $17,000 a day. If parents want to take back control of their schools and curricula, they need to think like the unions and act like a union.