The Strike - Teacher's At Their Worst

by William Warren

ARRA News Editorial Comment: Historically, professionals were determines by a set of of criteria. The traditional professions were doctors, engineers, lawyers, architects and commissioned military officers. Later the Nurses, accountants, educators, scientists, technology experts, social workers, Artists and many more.

However the word professional has become watered down with everyone trying to cover themselves with the mantel of a the word "professional." Even hookers and sports players claim to be professionals while seeking their own personal glories and of course money. However, many teachers have surrendered the above professional criteria when they opted to join a Union. In their desire to seeking benefits for themselves, they joined the ranks of blue collar worker and gave up the criteria below of a professional. They are no longer professionals but laborers.

Below are criteria for a professional:

• Expert and specialized knowledge in field which one is practicing professionally.
• A high standard of professional ethics, behavior owing a higher duty to a client, often a privilege of confidentiality, as well as a duty not to abandon the client just because he or she may not be able to pay or remunerate the professional. Often the professional is required to put the interest of the client ahead of his own interests.
• Appropriate treatment of relationships with colleagues. Being held accountable by ones own peers in the profession.
  
• A code of conduct or oath ascribed to by all members of the profession

Teachers formerly were not pursuing their careers for money and benefits. They had a willingness to evaluate and to get rid of the those in their professions who failed to properly educate and serve their clients (students and the community) or who who preyed on their clients.

However, when they became members of a union, they soon ceased to be professionals and gave over their code of ethics to the lowest common denominator in their union thus becoming subjugated to their union's voice in pursuing money and benefits verses a higher calling to ethics, responsibility and professionalism.  When unionized they opted to protect each other and not to professional educate their client (the student).

Fortunately, a large number of teachers have not surrendered to the call of statism advanced by government and unions. They have stood bravely in their profession. Thus, they have not participated in "The Strike" against their employer, their students and their community.

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