Educational Vouchers

Address at Wake Forest University: “Revolution that is Overdue”

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:29:11 -0500

Al Shanker states that the last three years since the “Nation at Risk Report” was published have seen education reform legislation passed in many states. He notes that businesses threatened to leave states if education did not improve. Yet, Shanker believes that this reform has not been successful. He finds it ironic that businesses called similar measures 'over-regulation' when they applied to industry but legislators call it reform in education. Shanker notes that the public still has a negative view of public education and that vouchers and tuition tax credits are not a good solution. read more »

Address to NYSUT Representative Assembly

jruss — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:21:18 -0500

Al Shanker delivers this address to the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) organization. Shanker begins by discussing various laws affecting funding to schools. He then turns to reform efforts. He talks about the teacher shortage and ways to recruit new teachers. He mentions the need for higher salaries, smaller class sizes, and increased time away from students. He notes that these are difficult to achieve but that giving teachers independence and respect is one easy way to make the job more attractive. read more »

Address: AFT Convention

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:49:52 -0500

Al Shanker begins by highlighting the AFT's growth and success since the last convention. He then discusses the upcoming presidential election between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale and details why he is optimistic for a democratic win. He further argues for the AFT and labor's involvement in Mondale's campaign. Next, Shanker turns to education reform, stating that the AFT has led the discussion on innovative school reform while the NEA has remained traditional in its responses to bad reports of school status. read more »

AFT Convention: Keynote Address

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:16:49 -0500

This document is comprised of two speeches. The first is the keynote address at the 1990 AFT convention. Al Shanker discusses what has been accomplished in the two years since the previous convention. He comments on the growth of the union, noting how they now represent professional teachers, paraprofessionals, school-related workers, health care workers, and city and local employees. read more »

Commonwealth Magazine: “What Schools Should—and Shouldn't—Learn From Markets”

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

In this article from the Commonwealth Club of California's publication, Al Shanker discusses the need for schools to develop incentive systems that work to motivate both students and teachers. He sees lessons in corporate capitalism and in foreign education systems. He argues that gaining entrance into college should be more difficult and that employers should consider high school performance in hiring decisions. This would encourage students to work harder. read more »

Compass Interview

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:44:58 -0500

Excerpts from an interview with Al Shanker are reproduced here. He comments on a variety of educational issues including school vouchers, tuition tax credits, employment offices that indirectly encourage high school drop-outs, teachers' unions, the creation of a separate federal Department of Education, and privatization of education.

Crossfire: “GI Bill for Children"

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:34:30 -0500

This is a summary of a debate Al Shanker participated in with Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander. Alexander is promoting President George H.W. Bush's proposed school voucher program while Shanker argues that the funds could be better spent in a different manner.

International Federation of Free Teachers' Unions (IFFTU) Speech

jruss — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:07:00 -0500

Al Shanker shares with the International Federation of Free Teachers'' Unions the various challenges facing educators in the United States and the programs the AFT has established to try to face them. One challenge he mentions are the changing demographics in America. Another is federal funding for public schools and the various federal education laws to which public schools must adhere. In order to deal with these issues, the AFT has partnered with other labor unions through the AFL-CIO to increase its political leverage and with other community groups that share common goals and interests. read more »

Meet the Press

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:21:21 -0500

Al Shanker fields questions from a panel of interviewers on a wide range of topics including the purpose of the teacher union movement; teacher salaries; student achievement; the rise of public employee unionism; Shanker's role at local and national levels of teachers' unions and the labor movement; school integration and busing; how to measure productivity in education; how to merge the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFT; the effects of teacher strikes; and school vouchers.

National Press Club Luncheon

jruss — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:55:29 -0400

Shanker speaks in front of the National Press Club to propose a few ideas that he believes will help in the long run the dire economic problems the country was facing in the mid-1970s. He proposes an early childhood education, an extra step for teacher education similar to what doctors go through and more emphasis on continuing education. After his speech he takes various questions from the audience ranging from his salary, NEA and AFT merger, merit pay and affirmative action.

On Dan Sanders and Paraprofessional and School-Related Personnel (PSRP)

jruss — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:21:18 -0500

Al Shanker comments on Dan Sanders, an official retiring from the NYSUT (New York State United Teachers). Shanker talks about Sanders's efforts during the merger of NYSTA (New York State Teachers Association) and UTNY (United Teachers of New York) to form NYSUT. He also commends Sanders's position as editor of the union's newspaper and his role in fighting vouchers. He also speaks of his personal friendship with Sanders, his colleague and neighbor. Next, Shanker answers questions about Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel (PSRP). He speaks about why they should join AFT, and he envisions a new school model in which PSRPs would play a larger and more egalitarian role than currently. In this new school of the future, Shanker argues, PSRPs would benefit from union representation even more.

Proceedings of the Conferences on Educational Accountability: “Possible Effects on Instructional Programs”

jruss — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:55:29 -0400

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.

Rochester Teacher Association Leadership Conference

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

Al Shanker applauds the Rochester Teacher Association for its efforts to collaborate with school administration to reform education. He tells the members that they are embarking on new territory and that there are no easy answers he or anyone else can provide them. He compares it to the campaign to unionize teachers in the 1960s. Shanker also addresses whether collaborating with administration is really the role of a union. He asserts it is because the interests of its members are still in mind, and only teachers have the expertise to begin to tackle this problem. read more »

Speaking Freely

jruss — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:55:31 -0400

Albert Shanker is interviewed by Edwin Newman. They discuss education finance, educational vouchers and the then teacher surplus. They cover the Shanker's upbringing, the idea of a merger with the National Education Association and the rise of public employees in the AFL-CIO.

Statement before the Democratic Platform Committee

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:14:53 -0500

Al Shanker laments the Reagan Administration's education policies and implores the Democratic Party to refute them in its platform. Specific policies he deplores are tax exemptions on private school tuition, a voucher program, and merit pay for teachers. Shanker urges the Democrats to hold two goals for education: giving aid to people who need it and improving the quality of education. He mentions that raising teacher salaries is important in improving education quality, while noting that much of that policy will be set at the state level.