AFT-Speeches

During this interview, Al Shanker answers questions about a wide variety of educational topics including teacher examination and qualification; decentralization of school boards; community involvement in public schools; minority presence in school administrative and supervisory positions; how to measure achievement; requirements for teacher certification; merit pay; tenure; the use of paraprofessionals in schools; and accountability.

Debate taken from the United Teacher. Albert Shanker debates John Doar, Board of Education president of New York City about the Ocean Hill - Brownsville strike.

Albert Shanker was a guest on the television show Firing Line hosted by William Buckley. They debated in earnest the quality of New York City public education system. They covered some subjects on the right of teachers to strike and the power of unions. However, a majority of the debate centered on the Ocean Hill - Brownsville strike of 1968. For more information on Firing Line transcripts please follow this link http://hoohila.stanford.edu/firingline/index.php

Barbara Walters interviews Al Shanker and James Harris, president of the National Education Association (NEA) about a bill under consideration in Congress that would give teachers the right to bargain collectively. Harris and Shanker answer Walters's questions, explaining what the bill, if passed, would mean in practice.

Shanker outlines what accountability means to a teacher. He points out that the United Federation of Teachers created one of the first shared governance model in their 1969 contract that had teachers, administrators and parents sitting down to resolve issues. Shanker goes on to discuss the problems with educational vouchers, performance contracting and community control.