Education Perspectives

Public Unions - The Debate in Wisconsin

The efforts of Wisconsin Governor Walker to vilify public unions as the root of the state’s economic problems are a classic example of looking for simple solutions to complex and systemic problems.  In this case, I believe both sides are wrong.

Yes, I am pro-union.  But I’m a realist as well.  Systemic problems call for systemic change.  And a trade-union activist named Mark Breslin gets it.   Mark and I share a common bond in that we both grew up in a family of tradesmen.  My Dad was an IBEW electrician as is my son and several of my extended family.  

Mark Breslin’s message of building a culture of performance and accountability reflects reality; an acceptance that the world around us is in the process of major change.  Unions need to realize that the marketplace is no longer within our borders and that we are now competing in a global market.  Unions began as organizations that combated and stopped the exploitation of labor.  Many believe they’ve become protectionist and they are not adequately policing their own ranks.  Many believe that unions aren’t contributing to society and that busting the unions is the only way to bring things back into perspective.  

I believe unions should be and can remain part of our economic system.  But unions need to fundamentally change and adapt themselves to these difficult economic times:

• Police you own ranks.  Unless you can back it up, don’t emphasize that that a union card automatically means proficiency on the job.  Trade unions are beginning to understand this and are adapting their apprenticeship programs accordingly. 
• This mentality needs to become the emphasis of public unions as well.  Right now, that isn’t happening!  
• In this market, trade unions need to stress the fact that on union jobs, the customer gets a safe, drug free environment with trained, dedicated personnel who work hard at doing the job in a tradesman-like manner.  Then, they need to back that up!
• The mentality of worker proficiency and efficiency must become the mantra of public unions as well.  Public unions have a tendency to protect sub-standard workers.  That is a fact which I have seen demonstrated.
• Public unions must base their demands on the reality of the government marketplace.  They must also align themselves closer to workers in private industry.

Moreover, unions need to realize that in this marketplace, they must have something solid and definable to offer the customer.  If the unions fail to face the reality of this new, emerging and volatile marketplace, many more unions will go the way of the Air Traffic Controllers.

 

"I Love you More than my Dog"

I recently read a book that compelled some thoughts about how our educational system could soar!  The book is “I Love You More Than my Dog; Five Decisions That Drive Extreme Customer Loyalty in Good Times and Bad” by Jeanne Bliss.

Based on her experiences in what she calls “beloved companies”, Jeanne outlines the culture of very successful companies, and she explores how decisions made by those companies build a culture of customer loyalty.  She explores the human side of business in a way that drills to the core of every organization; an approach that truly values people; an approach where employees and customers have value; an approach devoid of bureaucracy.

I’d like to take Jeanne’s 5 decisions and talk about parallels to education.

Decision 1 – “Beloved companies decide to believe…they believe their employees and their customers.  And they practice this by suspending cynicism.”  Imagine what might happen if schools were free to decide to believe in their teachers and their students!  What if schools could place the stringent rules in the background and actually believe in and support teachers?  What if teachers were encouraged to believe in their students?  I submit that our current system of education discourages that culture. Although many teachers do embrace that idea, the system hinders and discourages a fertile learning culture.

Decision 2 – “Beloved companies decide with clarity and purpose…(they) take the time to be clear about what their unique promise is for their customers lives.”  All schools have a mission statement, but how many public schools actually decide to create an experience for their students?  How many decisions in a school system are about policy, procedure, rules and expectations; and how many decisions directly address creating an engaging culture for student learning?  Having worked in a school for over 30 years, I can tell you that the decision scale is tipped toward bureaucracy.

Decision 3 – “Beloved companies decide to be real…(they) shed their fancy packaging and break down barriers between big company, little customer.”  Good teachers know how to create a collaborative classroom, and good teachers know that in order to connect with their students, the need to operate at a student level.  Good teachers know how to be friendly with their students while maintaining a good teacher/student decorum.  Yet the system emphasizes rules and encourages teachers to create a “big teacher/little student” environment.  Imagine if teachers could be free to work within a culture where collaboration is encouraged!

Decision 4 – “Beloved companies decide to be there…for customers in ways that are important to them…(they) gladly do the hard work.”  Many teachers work hard and are there for students, being sure students understand, not just memorize.  But the system promotes strict union rules which can create an atmosphere where such teachers might be ridiculed and admonished because they go the extra mile for students.  And teacher unions are NOT to blame!  The system creates a culture which places the bureaucracy ahead of the student, and it is the bureaucracy that creates the need for union rules.

Decision 5 – “Beloved companies decide to say sorry…(they) accept accountability when the chips are down.” The American school system equates accountability to test scores!  Test scores drive funding and stigmatize schools. This system has very little regard for what students are actually learning and understanding.  When we are reminded of the sad state of American schools, we make more rules and enforce more “accountability”.  It is time to scrap or completely revise No Child Left Behind; NCLB does not work!  It creates more focus on test scores and less focus on learning.  Stop and think about how a student might feel when the newspaper publishes school rankings, and their school ranks last! 

Check out Matt May’s blog article about schools in Finland.  Best schools in the world, yet they have the least amount of rules.  Finland takes a human approach to learning, and it works!

Jeanne Bliss’s book compelled some thoughts, and it is worthwhile reading for anyone.  Sure, the ideas make sense for companies and schools.  But really, Jeanne’s book succinctly relates the GOLDEN RULE.  It puts people first.  And that message is universal!