The columnist Ruben Navarrette is not someone I usually agree with. His writings tend to lean towards the left and with questionable conclusions. But today's piece was square on target.

The title was, 'Teachers unions need to be more accountable, less stubborn.'

He rightly points out that teachers like to part of a collective when negotiating their contracts but want to be thought of as individuals when they are being patted on the head for their compassion towards their students. Well, then why do teachers and their unions hate the idea of being evaluated on how well their students learn and succeed?

The fact is that teachers, like every other individual puts their own personal welfare ahead of every other consideration. That they try to portray themselves as altruistic, selfless angles belies the truth of human nature. Granted, they are charged with the education of our children; and that is a huge responsibility, the very existence of remedial classes in nearly every college and university tells a different story.

I have no problem with the motives of individual teachers. Most people like to think they do their jobs well. What I DO have a problem with is two-fold; 1. as members of a powerful union, they get the idea that they have power over the public purse and 2. that they are somehow exempt from feeling the economic pain that employees in the private sector are suffering. The Public Employee Unions need to remember that they serve the public.