Eduwonk is following some unexpected aftereffects of Steven Brill’s New York Times Magazine article, “The Teachers’ Unions’ Last Stand.” The American Federation of Teachers sent out a talking points memo to attack Brill’s piece, specifically accusing him of making up quotes and attributing them to AFT Prez Randi Weingarten. Brill then responds to the memo, saying he never made up quotes and he “regret[s] that they feel compelled to challenge this quote.” Here’s the quote that Weingarten says she never said:
The teachers’ unions have become accustomed in recent years to fighting off reform efforts by Republicans and think-tank do-gooders. They ignore the rhetorical noise, while sticking to the work of negotiating protectionist contracts with the politicians who run school systems and depend on their political support. But what happened last month in Washington could signal a new era in which the unions have to worry that Democrats, like Washington’s mayor, Adrian Fenty, not only won’t yield in contract negotiations but will also support laws and programs aimed at forcing accountability. That is the threat posed by the Race. “Deliberately or not, President Obama, whom I supported, has shifted the focus from resources and innovation and collaboration to blaming it all on dedicated teachers,” Weingarten says.
