You just can’t make government school teachers happy anymore. They’re upset when you justifiably criticize them. They become outraged when the constant raises you give them aren’t ever enough. They’re angry even when you want to help them with free stuff. You can’t make this stuff up.
In time for the back-to-school season, Wal-Mart is running a promotion that would allow students to nominate their teacher to be a “commander-in-teach.” The winners of the contest will be given $490 to cover school supplies for their classrooms.
Well, that act of kindness has enraged the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU). How dare Wal-Mart assist teachers!
According to a statement from WTU President Elizabeth Davis, it’s wrong for Wal-Mart to try to help teachers when members of the Walton family have contributed money to support charter schools.
“Walmart has tried to position itself as a friend and supporter of public schools and teachers when in reality the opposite is true,” Davis said in a press release. “Walmart and the Walton Family have consistently sought to privatize our schools and destroy public education.”
Davis further added:
“Every year, school budgets continue to be cut and teachers are forced to spend hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars of their own money on supplies for their classrooms and their students. We’re asking our members not to spend their hard-earned money at Walmart. It’s important that public school teachers know that the dollars they spend at Walmart are being used to harm the very schools they work in.”
The Daily Caller reports:
“D.C. has one of the most robust charter school systems in the country, with about half of all public school students attending them. Despite Davis’ rhetoric, charter schools are still public schools, though many are operated by private organizations. The Walton Family Foundation has donated millions of dollars to various groups supporting charter schools in D.C., part of a national investment that exceeds $1 billion.”
It seems like the WTU can afford to pass up on this kind opportunity. The jurisdiction’s taxpayers have to pay for the school system spending more than $18,000 per student, which is actually one of the highest amounts in the nation.
It’s too bad that those large sums of money can’t translate into any form of success. Washington, D.C. presently ranks near the bottom of the U.S. school system in math, reading and SAT scores.
Here is a clip that Fox Business Network‘s John Stossel did a few years ago:
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