Although we spend more and more each year to educate our children in primary and secondary public schools, the graduates are coming out less and less prepared to enter the workforce and strike out on their own.
Republican communications specialist Steve Guest published a "shot and chaser" post on X last week that illustrates one reason for this problem.
"Shot: '3,000 teachers beg for donations for basic classroom supplies,'" he began, and referred to a New York Post story reporting that thousands of New York City teachers are asking for donations on fundraising platforms to pay for supplies that the school system doesn't provide.
"Chaser," Guest continued: '"Nation’s 2 largest teachers' unions funneled nearly $50M to left-wing groups.'"
Defending Education, a conservative watchdog group, reported that the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers donated a combined $43.5 million into far-left groups since 2022.
"It is clear that the teachers unions' priorities are advancing far-left politics and radical social justice issues, not the education of children," Defending Education researcher Rhyen Staley said.
"This is a slap in the face to families and teachers who want to focus on helping students improve their reading and math skills.
"It is time that Congress acts to stop this obscene redistribution of public monies to advance left-wing identity politics," he added.
The conclusion is obvious: We've known for five years (since COVID) that teachers unions didn't care one whit about either students or education. The unions were at the forefront in the effort to close down in-person learning.
Now, however, it looks as though the unions don't even support the teachers, their own members who pay the dues that keep the unions afloat. But it gets worse, at least for the New York City teachers who are begging for funds to buy school supplies.
The New York City Department of Education projected that it will spend a whopping $42,168 per student in the 2025-26 school year, marking it the highest per-student expenditure among the major U.S. metropolitan areas.
This staggering sum also establishes a new national benchmark for education spending in the United States, but apparently it's not enough to provide things like art supplies that teachers are begging funds for.
Compare that to the cost of higher education in the same city. Tuition at City University of New York for New York state residents is $3,465 per semester, which would be less than $7,000 per year.
Non-New York residents pay $620 per credit. Assuming 15 credits per semester, that would work out to $9,300 per semester, or $18,600 per year. But New York is spending more than $42,000 per student for primary and secondary education.
And what's being taught for that princely sun? Parents got a taste of that during COVID-19, when they witnessed their children learn remotely subjects like gender identity, diversity, equity and inclusion, and white supremacy.
Despite parental protests at school board meetings, little has changed.
In late July the American Federation of Teachers, one of the unions that’s diverting tens of millions in members' dues to left-wing organizations, approved a resolution titled "Protecting Public Education from Right-Wing Extremism."
School choice evangelist and Newsmax contributor Corey DeAngelis got ahold of a copy of the resolution, and it was pretty much what you might expect. It supported biological boys participating in girls' sports, the celebration of Black Lives Matter, and climate activism to mention a few.
It was completely silent on things like teaching STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), foreign language classes or introducing students to the trades in shop classes — things that could actually prepare students for real life.
But they condemn "detainments, deportations and visa revocations in the strongest terms possible."
Despite the claims of teachers unions, it's clear that more money doesn't equate to a better education, and teachers unions themselves actually detract from learning subjects that will prepare students for the future.
Quality education requires dedicated teachers, parents who are involved, and eager, receptive students.
It doesn't require federal agencies, national unions, or piles of cash. It's past time that we get back to basics, or else we’ll end up as a nation of idiots and fools.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and is a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He's also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and a Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.
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