Poll Finds U.S. Teachers Split on Role of Unions, Pay Incentives, Tenure

Washington

Most public school teachers are unequivocally ambivalent about unions and education reform and have become more so over the past five years, according to a nationwide survey released here last week by Education Sector.

“This survey shows that, in theory, teachers are open to reforms, but when it comes to their own jobs they’re like, ‘Oh, no—stop,’ ” said Elena Silva, a policy analyst at the Washington-based think tank, during a discussion forum held here to accompany the release. “They’re a little all over the place.”

The report, “Waiting to Be Won Over: Teachers Speak on the Profession, Unions, and Reform,” is based on a survey of about 1,000 randomly selected teachers last fall by the New York City-based Farkas Duffett Research Group. It was a follow-up to a 2003 survey the company conducted for the...