Poll: Americans Trust Teachers, Split on Teachers' Unions

Nearly half the public say the labor groups have hurt education

By Alexandra Rice

Governors and teachers' unions are going head-to-head in several states across the country, and the public feels caught in the middle, a new survey on the public’s perception of U.S. schools finds.

When those polled were asked how teachers' unions have affected the quality of public education, 47 percent said unions hurt it. But even so, 52 percent said they side with unions in disputes with governors over collective bargaining.

This year’s annual poll by Phi Delta Kappa International and the Washington-based Gallup organization, released last week, digs deep into the issues surrounding teachers, including unions, salaries, hiring/firing...