Great description of teacher seniority systems and why schools have them

So many people, it seems, get upset by unions, period, buy by teacher's unions, in specific, it's just mind-boggling.

Imagine, a group of workers who organize so they protect themselves and have at least a little power and authority in the workplace. Why, it's just disgusting. It's Communist.

Not.

If you don't have or aren't in a union, it's just you against the company.

And guess who's going to win that one every time?

It surely isn't going to be you.

Taking this further, I don't think most people understand teacher's seniority rankings, either, so they have some sort of protection in the classroom and workplace.

Well, over at that bastion of all-thing-union, St. Louis, Missouri, there's an article today in the St. Louis American that gives what I think is a terrific, brief description of why there is seniority systems for teachers:

"Why is that districts across Missouri have "seniority" rules? Because it makes sex, race, age, politics or even teachers who stand up for student safety not a reason laying that teacher off. If a weak, misguided administrator chose to save money by hiring two temporary cheaper workers to replace a more senior staff person and churn them with new temporary workers, it destabilizes schools."

There. That's why there are seniority systems for teachers.

Once in a classroom and school, you have a much better understanding of it, too.

It's important more people understand how and why this works and why it's so necessary, not just for teachers but for good schools and the students' benefits, too, ultimately.

Link: http://www.stlamerican.com/news/columnists/article_d1ee41b0-9a3e-11e1-8bd2-001a4bcf887a.html