The Sandstorm: The Union Mandated School Shutdowns Are Having Major Consequences - For Kids And Country
close

For Kids & Country

  • Home
  • Join The Movement
  • About
  • Adopt A Teacher
  • Blogs
  • News
  • Resources
  • School Options
  • SeXXX Education
  • Toolkits
  • Union Exit
  • Union Politics
  • Videos
  • Donate
  •  Facebook
  •  Instagram
  •  Pinterest
  •  Twitter
  •  YouTube
  • More
For Kids & CountryFor Kids & Country
  • Menu
  • Join The Movement
      • Join The Movement
      • START HERE
      • Interactive Map Of Grassroots Groups Across America
      • Share A Printable Handout
  • Adopt A Teacher
  • Union Exit
      • Step One:

      • Teacher Toolkit
        • FAQ’s About Leaving Unions
      • Step Two:

      • Union Opt-Out
        • Opt Out of Your Union Today – By State (All 50 States)
      • Step Three:

      • Liability Insurance
        • Christian Educators Association International
        • Association Of American Educators
      • Extra Information You Might Want To Know

      • Keep Your Local
        • How To “Keep Your Local” Only Association
        • Union Facts: How To Decertify
        • CA Independent Teachers
        • Non-Union Alternatives For You
  • Union Politics
      • Union Politics
        • Union Politics (Home)
        • The Gompers’ Saga
        • Shocking Videos Of Union Leaders
  • School Options
  • SeXXX Ed
      • SeXXX Education
      • SeXXX Education (Home Page)
      • Parental Non-Consent Form for SeXXX Ed
      • California Parent Opt-Out Notice For SeXXX Ed
      • Get Educated About SeXXX Ed Toolkit
      • FKC Talks Sex Ed w/ PragerU
      • Helpful Organizations
        • The Legacy Institute
        • Alliance To Protect Children
        • Faith & Public Policy
        • Family Watch International
        • Parents’ Rights In Education
        • Protect Our Kids Now
        • Sex Ed Report
        • Stop CSE
        • United Parents
  • Toolkits
      • Toolkits
        • Critical Race Theory Toolkit
        • Parent Advocate Toolkit
        • Get Educated About SeXXX Ed Toolkit
        • Union Opt-Out Teacher’s Toolkits
  • News
      • In The News
        • News
        • Editorials In The News
          • By Rebecca Friedrichs
          • By Marguerite Gaspar
          • By Larry Sand
        • Interviews With FKC
        • Shocking Statements By Teachers’ Union Leaders – In Their Own Words
      • Blogs
        • Delighting In Safe Pasture With Linda
        • From The Teacher Shepherd
        • The Gompers Saga
        • Inspiring Stories
        • Lessons By Educators We Trust
        • Rebecca’s Musings: Thoughts Of Hope And Faith
        • The Sandstorm
      • Videos
        • FKC Talks Teacher Freedom With PragerU
        • FKC Video Archive
  • About
      • About FKC
        • About For Kids And Country
        • Founder’s Message
        • Join The Movement
        • Our Mission
        • Stay Connected
        • Privacy Policy
      • Rebecca Friedrichs
        • Meet Our Founder
        • Rebecca’s Book
        • Standing Up To Goliath
          • Book Club Questions
          • Book Reviews
      • Helpful Organizations
        • CA Teachers Empowerment Network
        • Gateways To Better Education
        • MN Educated Teachers
        • PA Free To Teach
        • Union Facts
  • Donate

The Sandstorm: The Union Mandated School Shutdowns Are Having Major Consequences

By Ted Stelle,

December 7, 2021
Title: The Union Mandated School Shutdowns Are Having Major Consequences
Author: Larry Sand
Date: December 7, 2021

School violence rises, mental health days proliferate, and thousands of kids are leaving government schools nationwide.

Recently, a report compiled by Mike Antonucci for the Defense of Freedom Institute confirmed that the teachers unions had a heavy-handed role in the Covid-related shutdowns that consumed much of the country starting in March 2020. And the “never let a good crisis go to waste” unions were in prime form in the process. The California Teachers Association, for example, issued a “bargaining advisory” in May of 2020, in which it states, “When exercising a ‘get for the give’ approach to bargaining concessions, locals should consider strengthening or implementing consultation procedures language in the CBA (collective bargaining agreement).” The union added, “Now is the time to secure (contract) language improvements that we have wanted for some time.”

While the California Teachers Association was busy instructing its local teachers unions how to milk the shutdown, Antonucci notes that it was successful on a statewide basis by “winning a ban on teacher layoffs, a substantial reduction in required instructional minutes, and the elimination of public accountability data collections for 2020, including those for academics, absenteeism, graduation and suspension rates, and college readiness.”

While most schools opened fulltime across the country in the fall of this year, many unions are now demanding “mental health days,” thus shuttering the schools once again. This time the closures are of variable time spans, and are, in part, due to kids acting out and often becoming violent. As Burbio, the invaluable school reopening tracker, notes, by Nov. 22, there were 3,145 school closures for “mental health” out of a total 8,692 for the school year.

Districts are handling the time off in different ways. A proposal from the Portland Association of Teachers asks the school district to convert one day per week at district high schools to an asynchronous day, where students would stay home and complete school work but wouldn’t have any in-person classes. In Detroit, the district has mandated that Fridays this month are for online learning only. Many school districts nationwide decided to shut down for the entire week of Thanksgiving instead of the usual two-day break. So, bizarrely, while school shutdowns have impaired kids’ mental health, districts and unions are now trying to fix the problem by closing the schools yet again.

At the same time that schools are embattled, there have been reports of teachers leaving the profession in droves. While, to be sure, some districts are now shorthanded, there has been no exodus writ large. In a meticulously documented piece written for FiveThirtyEight, Rebecca Klein asserts, “According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fewer public-education professionals quit their jobs between the months of April and August the past two years than did so during that same time immediately before the pandemic.”

While the “teachers are leaving the field in droves” claim isn’t true, many kids are most definitely not showing up. The National Bureau of Economic Research finds that “kindergarten enrollment fell by 3-4 percent in districts that opted for all-virtual instruction in the autumn of 2020. Elementary school enrollment is down about 1 percent, while middle and high school enrollment was mostly unchanged.” All told, about 300,000 kids left the system and many are not returning. Here in California, student enrollment is down 160,000 (3 percent). In Los Angeles, attendance is off by 27, 000 students, or 6 percent of the total. That number could balloon in L.A. when a strict vaccine mandate for students 12 and older goes into effect after Christmas break in January. At this time, 44,000 students are not fully vaxed, and needless to say, any easing of Covid mandates is a non-starter for the United Teachers of Los Angeles. Other California districts are running into similar issues. Also, when the statewide vaccine mandate goes into effect in the 2022-2023 school year, there will be even more heading for the exits.

In New York City, the Board of Education has not released any clear data about how many students have left the public school system. But reports indicate that the number could be as high as 180,000 pupils, or 18 percent of the city’s one million students.

While children will be getting an education somewhere – homeschooling and private school enrollments are both way up – there is no doubt that public schools are taking a hit. In New York, an 18 percent drop in students could lead to an 18 percent drop in teachers, which means an 18 percent drop in teacher union dues. So, the union mandated shutdowns could come back to bite the unions big time.

A little schadenfreude, anyone?

Post navigation

← PreviousFrom The Teacher Shepherd: Who Defends Teachers’ Civil Rights? Not the Union.
NextThe Sandstorm: The Teachers Unions’ Misbegotten Efforts Have Ignited The Push For Educational Freedom →

 

Recent News

  • The Sandstorm: Supreme Court Decision Advances Educational Freedom
  • The Sandstorm: The Feds Are Fully On Board The Trans Train

Follow Us

Facebook

For Kids & Country

3 hours ago

For Kids & Country
Attention TEACHERS in Nevada: July 1, teachers in Nevada will have TWO WEEKS to opt-out of teachers’ unions. Between July 1 and July 15 will be the only time during the year that educators can remove themselves from teachers’ unions. ... See MoreSee Less

Nevada teachers can opt-out of unions beginning July

www.8newsnow.com

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Starting Friday, July 1, teachers in Nevada will have two weeks to opt-out of teachers’ unions. Between July 1 and July 15 will be the only time during the year that ...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

For Kids & Country

4 hours ago

For Kids & Country
Do you know when education in America took a turn? Whose Children Are They explains what happened and why in this vital documentary about education in America. You can purchase your own DVD now. ... See MoreSee Less

Whose Children Are They?

whosechildrenarethey.com

Whose Children Are They? is a high quality, professional and persuasive groundbreaking documentary featuring brave teachers, empowered parents, and front-line experts who pull back the curtain about w...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Purchase Standing Up To Goliath

Stay Informed

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Optional Information Below To Be Included.

Our Mission

Our Mission is to Unite, Educate, Engage and Empower Parents, Teachers, Students, and Citizens in the fight to restore America’s schools and culture.

Contact

For Kids & Country
P.O. Box 75032
San Clemente, CA 92673
[email protected]

Media Inquiries

For Interviews Please Contact:

The KAIROS Company
[email protected]

Follow Us

You can make an impact while you shop for Black Friday deals. Simply shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/83-0822116 and AmazonSmile will donate to For Kids & Country Inc, at no cost to you.

© For Kids & Country· 2018-2022 · All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy