Of the 1,002 adults who took the survey, only 17 percent rated the nations’ schools as a whole similarly to how they rated their own child’s school, down from 23 percent in 2001 and 27 percent in 1985.
Nearly one in two respondents, 47 percent, said unionization has hurt the quality of public education in the United States, compared with 38 percent in 1976. Despite this, the number who said unionization benefited teaching climbed as well, from 22 percent to 26 percent. Far fewer Americans, down to 2 percent from 13 percent in 1976, reported that they had no opinion on the subject.
“No doubt a question last asked in 1976 and repeated in the latest survey will get some attention. It asks about general opinions on teacher unions, framed in a way that implies union work is limited to narrow issues of compensation and working conditions,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “The wording doesn’t reflect the current work of the AFT and our quality education agenda, which focuses on what students need to succeed and what their teachers need to facilitate success.”
Despite strong yet divided opinions on unions themselves, more Americans side with teacher unions over state governors in collective bargaining disputes in states like Wisconsin and Ohio, with 52 percent siding with the unions.
“At a time of breakneck change in what students need to be successful in this economy, sandwiched between years of school budget cuts and economic turmoil, Americans’ respect for public schools and teachers is strong and growing stronger,” said Weingarten.
Allen had a much different take on the results.
“With the media exposing the public to an aspect of public education rarely seen, and governors and a president who have challenged union power, tenure, and seniority protections in their policy-making, it’s no wonder that even this flawed survey finds that nearly half of all Americans believe unions do more harm than good,” said Allen. “The numbers might well be larger had questions provided more definition.”
Thirty-six percent of survey respondents said they believe a lack of funding and financial support is the biggest problem facing schools today.
And three out of four Americans said they would encourage “the brightest person they know” to become a teacher, while 67 percent said they would like to have a child of theirs teach in a public school.
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