TFA and Union Debate Coming to a Head?

Is Teach for America's ambitious expansion plan leading to a showdown with teacher's unions? On the one hand, you could argue that there are plenty of places around the country TFA could go without stirring up such controversy. On the other hand, I say, good for you, TFA, for taking on the unions, who have a consistent history of blocking real reform in our failing education system. (I feel a little sorry for the bright-eyed TFA corps members who have no idea what they are getting themselves into, but hey, it's all part of the experience.)

I myself once took on a teacher's union, in a small, and ultimately not very productive way, by taking the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality. After the Arizona Education Association reps showed up at one of our school district orientation sessions and made a heavy sell for us to join the union, I found out that they spent a lot of time bad-mouthing TFA teachers. Not cool by me. So I got myself elected and joined their little party, showing up at meetings, and facing a lot of cold shoulders. The union isn't terribly powerful out in Arizona, and things could have gotten a lot more intense, if I had tried this tactic, in say, Boston. Anyway, just as I was making progress with the president of our local chapter, I found myself playing out the predicted scenario, by becoming one of those Ambitious TFA Kids Who Swoop In For Two Years and Then Leave. Never mind that I STILL work in low-income schools, teaching in a high-need area, and remain deeply committed to education reform, because Phoenix wasn't right for my family, I will always feel a little bit guilty about not giving it a few more years out there.

TFA is not and never has been an answer to teacher shortages. There are something like 6 million teachers in this country, and TFA alum total under 15,000. Drop in a bucket. But TFA places teachers in shortage areas...low-income, special ed., math and science. Why? Probably because they have no desire to compete with regularly certified teachers who are taking up all the good jobs. Because there are definitely really cushy teaching jobs in this country. (Not that I have every held one.)

It can be very hard to get a nice teaching job in many places in this country.

It is really easy to get one of the tough teaching jobs in many places in this country. You could do it through TFA, you could do it through Teaching Fellows, or you can just show up at a job fair with a bachelor's degree and they will hire you. Trust me...if you have ever been to a job fair, you have seen desperate rural districts from North Carolina begging anybody with a pulse to sign a contract.

The Boston union has presented a pretty weak argument so far, and while I do not embrace everything about TFA, I commend this step towards bringing the union problems into the spotlight. I will definitely be following this story to see how it plays out.