Question

Using the assumption that online learning means fewer teachers (and union members) per student, in his opinion piece, The Internet Will Reduce Teachers Union Power (pdf), WSJ July 18, 2011, Terry Moe, professor of political science, Stanford University, offers three types of evidence that the power of teacher unions is declining.

•What evidence does Prof. Terry Moe provide that teacher’s union’s power is declining?

•How will online education affect the power of teachers unions? Specifically, how will online education affect the ability of teachers to organize their power?

Answer 1

1) Evidences that teacher’s union’s power is declining

2) As the cyber revolution comes to American education, it will bring about a massive and cost -saving substitution of technology for labor. That means far fewer teachers (and union members) per student. It also means teachers will be far less concentrated in geographic districts, as those who work online can be anywhere. It'll thus be far more difficult for unions to organize. There will also be much more diversity in educational offerings, and money and jobs will flow out of the (unionized) regular schools into new (nonunion) providers of online options.

in Michigan, Republicans enacted reforms that require performance-based evaluations of teachers, make it easier to dismiss those who are ineffective, and dramatically limit the scope of collective bargaining. Similar reforms adopted in Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana,Tennessee, Idaho and Florida.
Unions are losing their grip on the Democratic base. With many urban schools abysmally bad and staying that way, advocates for the disadvantaged are demanding real reform and aren't afraid to criticize unionsfor obstructing it. Moderates and liberals in the media and even in Hollywood regularly excoriate unions for putting job interests ahead of children.