California Teacher Union Officials Want to Monopolize Online Education

California teacher union officials are placing monopoly bargaining stumbling blocks standing in the way of parents who wish to home school their children during the Corona virus pandemic.  California schools closed several weeks ago but many districts are embattled with demands teacher union officials are trying to enshrine in a monopoly bargaining agreement.

Mackenzie Mays has the story on politico.

“Teachers unions across the state are demanding rules for distance learning obligations, holding up at-home lessons for students — especially in districts that already had fractured labor relationships.

Unions say they need clear guidelines about their expectations and working conditions, as they worry about their own health and families at home. They are also voicing concerns for inequities in student and teacher access to broadband and computers. But for districts embroiled in disputes, the timing for collective bargaining couldn’t be worse.”

Apparently those school districts which were experiencing dissent among the teacher union official ranks before the spread of the virus are the same officials who are barking the loudest about the closing of schools.

“The more time we spend on adults needing to be comforted, the less the kids are going to get better access to instruction,” said Tim Taylor, executive director of the Small School Districts Association.”

While the situation has never become such a widespread problem before, districts were not prepared with any directions on how to conduct effective distance learning, although there are ample sources which offer homeschooling and distance learning programs for homeschoolers.  For more information, go to hslda.org for more information.

Teacher union clamor for bargaining over distance learning emphasizes the plight of districts where there are not guidelines or mandates for such.  Apparently Governor Newsom and the state Department of Education have issued guidelines but these leave most issues to be decided by the localities without specific directives.

The California School Employees Association which represents support staff  jumped in demanding certain issues become subject to bargaining also.