Always ‘more money’ and never more accountability

WELL, IT didn’t take our new governor long to repay her election finance committee, better known as the teachers union, for their monetary support during the campaign. Three days after taking office, she signed an executive order basically saying that teachers are to no longer be held accountable for their results in the classroom. Wonderful. I will give her credit for paying attention during her time serving under Bill Richardson.

I read several days ago that she also appointed a panel to review the education system in New Mexico and make recommendations to improve it. She made sure that the teachers union was fully represented on the panel. I told my wife I could write that report before the panel held its first meeting and it would only be four words long. “We need more money” would cover 99 percent of the recommendations.

My opinions would make it sound like I am anti-teacher. I am not. But I am definitely anti-teachers union. I have never heard them address an issue that the solution was not “more money.” I think most of the teachers, given a choice, would choose to forego the union dues and concentrate on being better teachers for their students. And most would not object to being evaluated on their performance. But the union, like most other unions in this day and time, feel like their sole purpose in life is to negotiate contracts for less work and more money — and the students be damned.

And I have no doubt that our new governor will accommodate their every wish.

HARRY L. KERNS Albuquerque