Public Education Prospers in Wisconsin Without Union Interference

By Larry Sand
05/10/2016
Despite what the teachers unions say, teachers – not to mention children and taxpayers – can and do thrive without them. In 2011, under Governor Scott Walker’s leadership, Wisconsin passed Act 10, the Budget Repair Bill, which, among other things, placed strict limitations on the ability of teachers unions to collectively bargain. Walker very quickly...

TAGS: Act 10, collective bargaining, Larry Sand, last in first out, National Education Association, Scott Walker, seniority, teachers union

Loss of LIFO

By Larry Sand
10/13/2015
If Eli Broad’s charter school plan goes forward, there will be a major shake-up in the ranks of LAUSD teachers. Philanthropist Eli Broad’s ambitious plan to create 260 new charter schools over an eight year period in Los Angeles, enrolling at least 130,000 students, will have major ramifications for many of the city’s 25,600 teachers....

TAGS: A.J. Duffy, Alex Caputo-Pearl, California Charter School Association, California Federation of Teachers, charter school, Eli Broad, Larry Sand, last in first out, LIFO, Rolf Treu, seniority, StudentsFirst, Teach For America, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, UTLA, Vergara case

Post-Vergara Rumblings

By Larry Sand
07/01/2014
The Vergara decision is three weeks old – and due to the teachers unions’ appeal, nothing has changed. Or has it? Because Judge Rolf Treu has placed a stay on his Vergara ruling pending the outcome of the teachers unions’ appeal, the tenure, seniority and dismissal statutes are still alive and well in California. However,...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Campbell Brown, Dennis Van Roekel, Larry Sand, last in first out, Mike Antonucci, National Education Association, New York State United Teachers, Randi Weingarten, Rolf Treu, seniority, teachers union, tenure, Vergara

UTLA, LAUSD and ACLU Fiddle While Children Don’t Learn

By Larry Sand
04/15/2014
“Landmark settlement” song has hackneyed words but still makes Top 10 in the “Hubris” category. In 2010, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit which claimed that seniority-based layoffs take a disproportionate toll on poor and minority schools. The ACLU won the case and the settlement protected students in up to 45 schools from...

TAGS: John Deasy, John Fensterwald, Larry Sand, last in first out, LIFO, Los Angeles Unified School District, seniority, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, Vergara v California

Pull the Plug on LIFO Support

By Larry Sand
03/25/2014
Despite bellyaching from the union crowd, the California education code’s last in/first out (LIFO) statute must be tossed. California’s fiscal problems have taken a toll on the teaching profession in California. And the Golden State’s arbitrary seniority system, whereby staffing decisions are made by time spent on the job, has made things much worse. A...

TAGS: A.J. Duffy, California Federation of Teachers, Charter schools, Larry Sand, last in first out, LIFO, Los Angeles Unified School District, RiShawn Biddle, seniority, Students Matter, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, Vergara

Small Class-Size Balloon Punctured Again

By Larry Sand
10/17/2012
It’s time to “just say no” to the small class-size pushers and eliminate seniority as a staffing mechanism. Small class size means less work for teachers. Parents seem to think that their child will be better educated in a room with fewer classmates. Unions love fewer kids in a class because it equates to a...

TAGS: Andrew Coulson, Eric Hanushek, Jay Greene, last in first out, Mike Antonucci, seniority, small class size, teacher shortage

Good Teachers: Beware The Ides of March

By Larry Sand
03/20/2012
Julius Caesar came to a bad end on March 15th, the same date many good teachers were warned that they may be unemployed in June. “Nearly 20,000 Teacher Pink Slips Statewide Show Drastic Need for More Education Funding” screamed the headline on the California Teachers Association website. First, let’s straighten out the union spin. Typically...

TAGS: California Teachers Association, Eric Hanushek, last in first out, seniority