Trib: Teachers Now Come First?
You'd be forgiven for thinking the theme among Idaho legislators this year was "Teachers Come First." That's a twist on former state schools Superintendent Tom Luna's 2011 "Students Come First" campaign. Four years ago, Luna got his fellow Republicans in the Legislature to approve:
- Rolling back teacher collective bargaining rights.
- Instituting a punitive merit pay system tied to how students performed on standardized tests.
- Adopting an agenda fueled by the belief that technology, not teachers, could cure what ailed Idaho schools.
All of which took place in an environment of declining state support for education budgets. The following year, Idaho voters gave Luna's package an electoral heave-ho, setting the state on a path culminating in this year's mantra: No matter what else you do, education still comes down to having a quality teacher in a classroom interacting with students/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. More here.
Question: Do you think teachers have more faith in the Idaho Legislature now that it has passed the teacher career pay ladder?
