Don’t Blame Teachers Unions

After reading Bruce Crawford’s June 2 letter regarding due process for students and its effect on discipline in the classroom, I am happy for his bit of enlightenment. I hope he is ready for some more.

There is indeed a problem of the unruly stealing educational time from the more serious. There are a number of factors to consider, and I wouldn’t entirely eliminate lax administrators and teachers. The largest factor, however, is parents who believe that they couldn’t possibly be the cause of their child’s poor behavior in class. If their child misbehaves, it’s because the teacher isn’t standing on his or her head and spitting nickels to keep their attention. Their little darling isn’t being challenged. It’s time for the majority of parents whose children do behave to stop enabling and sympathizing with those less successful parents and insist that they take responsibility.

I hope Crawford has an open mind and not a hidden agenda regarding teacher unions and school boards. There isn’t a single school board in Orange County that is “controlled” by a union. Far from it. Teacher unions are interested in candidates for the [school] board who have students’ interests at heart and not personal political agendas and ambitions. Take a close look at what is happening in the Orange Unified School District. Those school board members are being vindictive toward the teachers’ union and a lot of children are paying the price. The teachers were right about their choices for the board. That district has been in chaos for over 10 years.

LLOYD PORTER

Vice President

Assn. of Placentia Linda Educators

Yorba Linda