Antisocial Injustice

By Larry Sand
12/16/2014
A teachers union giving an award for social justice is like Miley Cyrus handing out a medal for modesty. The term “social justice” has gone through many permutations over the centuries, but these days it refers essentially to a progressive vision of the world. Its paramount issues include income inequality, sexual discrimination, the mere existence...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Cato Institute, Dennis Van Roekel, Florida Education Association, Jason Bedrick, Larry Sand, Mike Antonucci, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, social justice, teachers union, Washington Teachers Union

Sweatshops, Walmart, TFA, Bart Simpson and Hams for Hanukkah

By Larry Sand
12/09/2014
Teachers unions are busier than ever pointing fingers, forming loopy alliances and making embarrassing gaffes. A couple of weeks ago Massie Ritsch, assistant communications and outreach point man for Education Secretary Arne Duncan, left his job to take a similar position at Teach For America. And not a moment too soon! As I wrote last...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Arne Duncan, EAG, Kyle Olson, Larry Sand, Nick Gillespie, Randi Weingarten, Rick Hess, Teach For America, teachers union

Parents Need a Private School Option When Public Schools Fail

By Larry Sand
11/18/2014
As the need for vouchers increases, the politics of school privatization gets interestinger and interestinger. “Some NYC teachers: ‘Don’t send your kids here!’” screamed the headline in a New York Post article last week. The damning story goes on to explain how over 80 percent of the teachers in eight public schools – including charters...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, Education Next, Fordham Institute, Friedman Foundation, Gloria Romero, Hillary Clinton, Howard Fuller, Kevin Chavous, Larry Sand, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, teachers union, voucher, Whitney Tilson

Teachers Unions’ Election Day Thumping

By Larry Sand
11/11/2014
“Teachers Unions Take a Beating in Midterm Races” “Teachers Unions Take a Shellacking” “Teachers Unions Get Schooled in 2014 Election” The above is just a small sampling of post-election headlines which flooded the media after last Tuesday’s historic election, which generated a major political shakeup in the nation’s capital as well as state houses from...

TAGS: American Enterprise Institute, American Federation of Teachers, Bruce Rauner, California Center for Parent Empowerment, Center for Education Reform, City Journal, EdSource, Gloria Romero, John Fensterwald, Kara Kerwin, Larry Sand, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, Marshall Tuck, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, Rick Hess, Rick Scott, Rick Snyder, Scott Walker, Steve Greenhut, teachers union, Tom Corbett, Tom Torlakson, Vergara

The Sorry, but Unapologetic, Teachers Unions

By Larry Sand
11/04/2014
 Unions demand apologies, but refuse to make any themselves. The cover of the November 3rd edition of Time Magazine reads “It’s nearly impossible to fire a bad teacher; some tech millionaires may have found a way to change that.” Accompanying the text is a photo of a judge’s gavel about to pound an apple. The...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, California Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Empowerment Network, David Welch, Larry Sand, Marshall Tuck, Michael Mulgrew, Mike Antonucci, National Education Association, New York State United Teachers, Randi Weingarten, teachers union, Tom Torlakson, United Federation of Teachers

Early Christmas Gift to Children and Taxpayers in Philadelphia?

By Larry Sand
10/14/2014
School reformers in Philly decide to help taxpayers and kids; teachers unions fume. Philadelphia can be a tough town – so tough, in fact, that in 1968, frustrated and cranky Eagles fans even booed Santa Claus at a late season game. When that didn’t scare off old St. Nick, the hostile fans unleashed a barrage...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Jerry Jordan, Larry Sand, Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, teachers union, Tom Corbett

Karen Lewis and Chicago’s Illiteracy Problem

By Larry Sand
09/23/2014
After years as a teacher union boss, Karen Lewis is making plans to spread her venom to the rest of the city. Courtesy of Daniel Greenfield, we are reminded of the ugly fact that almost half of Chicago is illiterate. According to the White House website, 47 percent of Windy City residents cannot read. Additionally,...

TAGS: Arne Duncan, Chicago Teachers Union, Education Action Group, Karen Lewis, Larry Sand, Randi Weingarten, Teach For America, teachers union

Tales from the Unions’ Dark (Money) Side

By Larry Sand
09/02/2014
The unions preen and posture as political underdogs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Thanks to the teachers unions and the American left, the term “dark money” – political spending by groups whose own donors are allowed to remain hidden – is most closely associated with two successful industrialists from Kansas – the...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Citizens United, Democracy Alliance, George Soros, John Stocks, Koch Brothers, Larry Sand, Massachusetts Teachers Association, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, teachers union

The Poor Teacher Canard Redux – Part I

By Larry Sand
08/19/2014
“Mid-and Late-Career Teachers Struggle With Paltry Incomes” is the latest flawed study to claim that American teachers are underpaid. Leave it to the left-leaning teacher-union-friendly Center for American Progress to come out with a flatulent report lamenting the allegedly lousy state of teacher pay in the U.S. Even worse, much of the acolyte media dutifully...

TAGS: American Enterprise Institute, American Federation of Teachers, Andrew Biggs, California Policy Center, Center for American Progress, Heritage Foundation, Jason Richwine, Jay Greene, Larry Sand, Manhattan Institute, Marcus Winters, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, teachers union, Transparent California

Social(ism) Justice Lessons

By Larry Sand
07/22/2014
Teacher union progressives seek to socialize our country, but the Koch brothers have other plans. The recent teacher union conventions were full of self-pity, angst and anger over the Vergara and Harris legal decisions. Unfortunately that’s not all they concerned themselves with. The union avatars explored various progressive schemes with the intention of dragging us...

TAGS: Alex Caputo-Pearl, American Federation of Teachers, Harris v. Quinn, Joy Resmovits, Koch Brothers, Larry Sand, Randi Weingarten, social justice, socialism, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, Vergara v California