LETTER: A stronger union would keep many Clark County teachers from leaving
As a former teacher in the Clark County School District, I am responding to Sunday’s front-page article on teacher turnover. I can give you two good reasons why the district is not keeping good teachers.
First, it’s because they need better principals. It seems many of them have no management skills, do not know how to treat teachers with respect and — in many cases, like mine — are abusive. In addition nobody seems to be monitoring them.
Secondly, I came from California with the California Teachers Association. They are very powerful and if, as a teacher, you experience abuse, unfair treatment, harassment from anyone, the association steps in and protects you. This does not exist in Nevada.
There is the Clark County Education Association, but membership is voluntary, they do not advertise or approach teachers and I, for one, never knew they existed. They do not seem to do much of anything.
As a teacher, you work very hard, have to manage many volatile situations and do not get paid much for it. With a strong union behind you, you feel supported and protected. I had to leave California during the financial crisis, and I want to stay in Nevada. But it would be a much better place to work if we had a good union and principals were chosen for their management and people skills, above all else.