UK’s president lays it out clear and simple: Unions are blocking educational progress in Kentucky

UK’s President Todd lays it out clear and simple: Kentucky’s teachers’ unions block policies that would better serve Kentucky students.

According to Ryan Alessi at cn2, President Todd says of the unions:

“I think they are looking out in too many cases for their own good and not for the good of the students.”

Todd singled out the Jefferson County Teachers Association for special ire because that union local has steadfastly blocked the very excellent AdvanceKentucky program from signing up even one high school in the Jefferson County Public School District.

Todd also jumped on some state legislators who too often take union positions because of the campaign donations unions give those legislators. Says Todd:

“It’s not just the teachers unions. It’s the politicians that need to step up and make some decisions on the fact that we’ve got to make some changes.”

Wow! Talk about candor.

I’m not impressed by the selfish comments made by the president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association in the article.

What kind of people want to hold colleagues back from making more money for doing the hard work required to teach advance placement courses?

It should also be noted that while this union chief wrings his hands that the AdvanceKentucky program might suck experienced teachers out of some schools, this very same union local negotiated what the Kentucky Office of Education Accountability says was an inappropriate agreement on restaffing in Jefferson County’s Persistently Low-Achieving Schools. As a result, too many inexperienced teachers were assigned to those schools.

This union isn’t concerned about doing what’s right for students – it just wants the best possible deals for adults in the school system.

By the way, while Alessi’s article doesn’t say so, I am currently reviewing some “Report of an Independent Expenditure” documents I recently got with an open records request from the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. One candidate for state representative got over $145,000 from the Jefferson County Teachers Association PAC in 2010! The January 26, 2011 edition of the print-only Kentucky Gazette has a front page article about the teachers union PACs topping the list of campaign contributors in 2010, as well.

That’s just great for teachers. It isn’t so good for students. Just ask President Todd.