A recent study, conducted by Professors Michael T. Hartney of Boston College and Vladimir Kogan of Ohio State University, has shed light on the motivations behind teachers’ union endorsements in school board elections. It reveals that these endorsements are more aligned with unions’ self-interest than with the pursuit of better student outcomes.
The study, titled The Politics of Teachers’ Union Endorsements, found that school board candidates endorsed by the union have won 70% of races over the past twenty years. According to the study, voters believe teachers unions make endorsements based on improving academic outcomes. In reality, however, the unions tend to make endorsements based on self-interest.
The study suggests that voters might be misinterpreting these endorsements, thinking they reflect a candidate’s commitment to education quality when they are, in fact, more reflective of union self-interest. By allowing voters to be misled with regard to their intentions, unions have been able to secure races for two decades worth of school board candidates.
The study also highlights the divide between voters’ and teachers unions’ priorities. While voters look to the unions to tell them which candidates will deliver the best education, the unions, which often spend large amounts of members’ dues on left-wing politics, prioritize their own agendas that often don’t align with students or teachers.
School board elections have significant ramifications for local education policy, and it is vital that all voters, including teachers, understand the implications of union endorsements before using them to inform their vote.