Speaking last month in San Francisco, AEI President Arthur Brooks argued that one of the most important wars that champions of the free enterprise system must fight and win is the one over America's education system. And winning over public opinion, which is the first step toward achieving any meaningful educational reform, requires that the case for reform be made in moral terms, rather than numerical ones. In other words, "we can't afford it" as an argument loses every time when pitted against "but think of the children!" Therefore, asserts Brooks, we need to argue for an education system that works for our children, not the teachers unions.
What does a system that works for students rather than the unions look like? For starters, refer to the education reforms Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal accomplished this year in the Pelican State. And Jindal isn't alone. In his Wall Street Journal column today, Bill McGurn introduces us to Idaho's superintendent of public instruction, Tom Luna, who helped push legislation called "Students Come First" through the state legislature last spring.
Thus the so-called Luna laws now restrict collective bargaining to salary and benefits, phase out tenure and force teacher contract negotiations out in the open. They also eliminate a practice that across America operates largely to protect bad teachers and keep good ones out of the classroom: the last-hired, first-fired system of seniority.
The other two prongs of Students Come First deal mostly with quality. New merit-pay provisions mean that teachers can earn up to $8,000 a year extra for serving in hard-to-fill positions, taking on leadership positions, or helping their schools boost student achievement. The technology part has to do with ensuring that students and teachers in any part of Idaho have access to the best instruction available.
For his efforts, Mr. Luna has suffered vandalism to his personal property and faced [failed] union attempts to recall him from his position. Now, his legislation faces repeal in Idaho's November election. The outcome of this battle may have big implications for the entire nation, and is certainly one to watch.