ARMEY: State-union battles revive school-choice hope

[Geee]

Washington Times:

After a major loss in their battle with Wisconsin taxpayers over collective bargaining powers, teachers unions are reeling. States are caught in a vicious cycle in which the private sector is shrinking while public liabilities grow and politicians have finally realized they must rein in spending and restore economic sanity to their budgets - even if that means pushing back against union influence.

The momentum stemming from the Wisconsin victory gives union bosses little time to lick their wounds. In Ohio, for example, Republican Gov. John Kasich is supporting legislation similar to the bill passed in Wisconsin. The Ohio bill would reform the pay structures and collective bargaining powers of state and local employees. Even in California, Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat who received $30 million from public-sector unions during his campaign, at least made an attempt to compromise with Republicans seeking concessions from the unions.

For unions - especially teachers unions, it would seem - when it rains, it pours. They not only face off against a budget reform sentiment among the taxpayers, who view public employee union contracts as bloated and wasteful. Now they also face off against growing education reform sentiment among the public, who see the educational and economic benefits of another movement unions have opposed: school choice.

While there is yet to be a high-profile standoff between education reformers and union bosses like there have been between budget reformers and union bosses, momentum nonetheless continues to build in favor of school choice. In Pennsylvania, legislators are pursuing a school choice bill. In the U.S. Congress, efforts are under way to revive the District of Columbia’s voucher program. The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program has enjoyed tremendous popularity and a graduation rate 18 percent higher than Milwaukee public schools.