Once a low-performing middle school, Denver’s Bruce Randolph School is improving, but its principal and teachers think they could do better with more freedom from district and union rules. The district agreed to grant autonomy, but the teachers’ union blocked the plan. From the Denver Post:
Teachers and administrators at Bruce Randolph School want control over the school’s budget, teacher time, incentives and hiring decisions and to be free from union and district red tape that they say is impeding student progress.
Denver’s school board last month agreed to the Bruce Randolph autonomy proposal, but the teachers union balked Tuesday at permitting much of the school’s request — which sought waivers from 18 articles of the union contract and parts of six other articles.
Randolph’s principal, Kristin Waters, said the union counter-proposal would have meant “more hoops” to jump through, not less.
Greg Ahrnsbrak, a union representative at the school, called the counterproposal half-hearted and said the waivers offered essentially insert the union into decisions about hiring and teacher time.
“They are doing everything they can to block a real reform effort,” Ahrnsbrak said. “Reform is happening. You’re either going to be on the bus or beneath it. I want to be driving it.”
If the school can’t get autonomy within the district, Randolph teachers may try to turn the school into a charter with help from private foundations.
Via EIA’s Intercepts.
Forgive my knowledge of union rules and such, but can’t the teachers of the school somehow vote to break off from the union (and possibly make their own in the process)?
About 70% of the Randolph teachers voted to request the autonomy. But until the union made its decision last week, there has been no talk of breaking away from union membership there that I’ve heard. The school and teachers have followed a waiver process contained in the bargaining agreement to seek an unprecedented amount of freedom from red tape and negotiated rules that govern budgeting, hiring, schedules, etc. The focus has only turned to the union now that its officials have decided to stand in the way.
One thing seems clear: Randolph’s principal & faculty seem determined not to let the union’s roadblock slow them down, whether it’s seeking a charter or finding some other route.
Is anyone aware of such an attempt for autonomy by a district public school anywhere else in the country? I find this story absolutely fascinating.
This is the type of obstructionist union “protection” that infuriates me.
The union is protecting its own interest yet again. The union should be there advocating for the teachers deserve even more freedom. This is what happens teachers and prinicpals start working together. Suddenly, central administration and the union are the only people in the way of student progress.
The next time I hear a teacher say “it’s all for the children”, I’ll politely mention that’s apparently not true every where, especially in Denver.
>The next time I hear a teacher union say “it’s all
>for the childrenâ€, I’ll politely mention that’s apparently
>not true every where, especially in Denver.
There, fixed that for you.
Sorry Rob – teachers control their unions so teachers are collectively responsible for said unions.
If you don’t like to be held responsible for what teacher unions do, stop them from doing it.
Alternatively, quit. Oh, but you can’t do that (in most cases) because teachers decided that membership is mandatory. (Yes, I know about the “bargaining costs only” option. Do you know a union that bills that honestly? Once again, teachers in action.)
Andy –
In a right to work state, your statement would be correct. Colorado, though, is a forced unionism state. Teachers have no choice about joining the union, and that situation allows union leadership to act in any way they choose because coerced members can’t act against them in any substantive way. The only choice they have is to form their own union, if they can get that approved by the various government agencies involved.
Long story short, government backing unions through forced unionism is a destructive force in the American economy that should be stopped, now.
Andy-
Whether I choose to be a member or not, my teacher’s union has the right to collect dues from my check because I supposedly “benefit” from their bargaining. So, even if I choose to oppose the union, I’m still required to support it as long as I work.
> Colorado, though, is a forced unionism state.
It’s only forced by the union, which teachers control, not by law. (The law in closed shop states says that closed shop agreements are legal, not that a shop must be closed.)
If teachers want to have an open shop, they can have it. They actively choose closed shops when given the choice so it’s rather absurd to complain about closed shops.
As I wrote above – teachers control their unions so they’re responsible for them.
> my teacher’s union has the right to collect dues from my check because I supposedly “benefit†from their bargaining
You’re only required to pay for bargaining spending. The fact that they cheat is yet another thing that teachers have to answer for.
I’ve pointed out repeatedly that teachers aren’t professionals because they aren’t responsibility. Shirking responibility for teachers unions, which they control, shows that the attitude runs deep.