CB> (This is a letter sent to THE WASHINGTON POST, but has not been 
CB> published 
CB> To the Editor:
CB> Did it ever occur to anyone that teachers oppose many so-called 
CB> reforms 
CB> ("Teachers Union on Defensive in School Reform Struggle," June 3) not 
CB> out of some knee-jerk, self-protective impulse, but because they know 
CB> what's being proposed is bad educationally?  Your article cites 
CB> private 
CB> management of public schools and vouchers as two "reforms" that 
CB> teacher 
CB> unions oppose, and yet neglects to mention that the track record of 
CB> such 
CB> reforms ranges from mediocre to dismal. It also neglects to mention 
CB> that 
CB> many other groups -- parents, clergy, local officials -- oppose such 
CB> approaches.
    Who do these "many other groups" represent?
    "Clergy" are rarely elected by anyone, so how much do they represent even 
their flock.  Are "local officials" mainly school bureaucrats?  Are "parents" 
just 'captive' parent groups like PTA or is this based on any poll of parents 
that a pollster would consider valid?
CB> to see. The ongoing voucher experiment in Milwaukee has produced 
CB> achievement results no different from comparable public schools, and 
CB> this has been carefully documented by independent evaluations.
    Not according to the latest article I saw.
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