I notice that the usual ardent proponents of unions are not present in this thread. I find their absence speaks far more than they every could with mere words, were they to participate here.
Let no one, NO ONE, say that a teacher's job is easy, first and foremost. You think it's easy, I call BS, and say you've simply never done it before. It's only easy if you don't care, and have no pride. I've taught, but not in a classroom like at school...but for the Boy Scouts. It's not easy.
Let no one, NO ONE, say that teachers don't care about their students. I simply don't believe that's true. I know too many teachers, in my personal life, to make such a claim, and actually believe.
Let ANYONE say, however, that a teacher's UNION...cares not one tiny shred about a student, any student, nor for the people paying the salaries of the union members. This is the part where the collective truly does bring out the absolute worst in otherwise good people. Where the mob turns good men and women into little more thanb savages, metaphorically speaking.