Teacher Unions Are Bad

A Virginia teachers' union says students should not return to the classroom until they all receive a COVID-19 vaccine which they are reasonably sure is impossible.

At a Fairfax County Public Schools board meeting, the President of the District Teachers' Union said students must have the COVID-19 vaccination before in-person instruction resumes.

Most of the school district's students cannot get vaccine: Pfizer's is authorized for those over 16, and Moderna's for those over 18 as there was no testing of younger people when it could be done!  This was the decision as juveniles are little affected by the virus.  Less than one percent die from it and those that do are known sensitives to pulmonary problems so they could be kept out of school as their problems have been identified when they were toddlers.

"The timeline and return to in-person instruction must reflect that we wait for the second dose to be effective," union President Kimberly Adams said at a District Board meeting.  And, continuing...

"Concerns also remain that students will not be vaccinated before they return to school. This will require we maintain the hybrid model and continue social distancing, masking, and all other mitigation strategies."

Although studies show in-school transmission of COVID-19 is "extremely rare." Teacher’s unions across the United States have opposed returning to the classroom. In recent weeks, some public officials have changed their tune on in-class instruction.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam replied schools could operate safely.  "Our schools are safe, We know we can follow the mitigation measures."

Nearly 90 percent of Fairfax County Public Schools' staff have already registered to take the vaccine, Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced Thursday, and 5,000 staff members have  received the first doses. Technical and Special Education students will return to classrooms on Feb. 16, according to the updated timeline Brabrand shared with the board at Thursday's meeting.

Fairfax County school enrollment has fallen five percent following school closures as families are moving to open districts and private schools.

As a former teacher I believe a significant percentage of these teachers simply do not want to work after having had a year off at full salary!  There is nothing like a challenge or stress to show where we are weak.

The Los Angeles Teachers Union was one reason I left teaching after seven otherwise happy years in Los Angeles Schools.  The unions were not there when I started but came in after four years, took $80 a month out of my $900 a month salary with promises we were all going to get great increases, which never appeared.  Worse than that:  They came to the defense of every bad teacher who got into trouble making it impossible to get rid of people who committed crimes every time they walked into a classroom.

Unions can do good things, but all too often they get on the wrong side or are lead by people with lots of stupid ideas.  I have soured on them completely. Like our political parties, or perhaps because of them, unions have become angry aggregations of unreasoning people without real ideas to accomplish the tasks.  All they want is money and it is amazing how many teachers do not realize it because of their tenured contracts they can get money out of banks faster than Bonny and Clyde.  Invest it properly.  I know how to do that and am going to write a book entitled, "Teach And Be Rich," and you will see young people flocking to what can be a fun profession working with young people.

Adrian Vance