Teachers unions have been on the losing side of public relations for a while. As a favorite toy of some politicians and a punching bag for others, it's been difficult to get positive momentum going in our direction. A few areas of the nation have managed it, but even they are a long way for winning over large groups of our population. We need to get the message out: our educators are dedicated to our students and have been achieving fantastic successes despite a lack of the necessary financial, physical, and political backing that they need.
Although some of the problem is certainly due to a coordinated, national movement against public education, we need to work at building more support at the local level. While our union supports our teachers, we also need to work with students, parents, administration, board members, local government, and our community's citizens to make our schools a desirable place to be that provide the education necessary to not only prepare our students for their future, but to help them make their lives have more meaning now. Well ... that's what I think anyway.