The Democratic Party in California has touted itself as the party of public education. At the same time, this growing liberal faction has also taken easy handouts from public sector unions, including the powerful California Teachers Association.
The coalition of ideologies which has prided itself on doing the most to expand the role of the state now faces the dwindling justification for holding hands with the teachers' unions, which resist reform in every form. Voucher initiatives, the safeguarding of membership dues, and the limit on their power over Sacramento lawmakers have all been handily defeated by operatives throughout the state.
Gloria Romero inaugurated Democrats for Education Reform. Setting off outrage from establishment leaders, Romero has inadvertently exposed the latent contradiction of state power as a means of advancing the best interests of all. More government means more workers paid out through taxpayer dollars. These same employees have coalesced their power to move politicians to increase their wages and protect their hierarchical authority over individual members, who must contribute dues whether they join the union or not, and who must accede to the contributions of party leaders to pet candidates and causes.
The Teachers' unions direct even the President's staff to support choices and causes which line up with their interests, not afraid to withhold criticism or a retraction of support if necessary. When a spokesman for Parent Revolution was tapped by the Obama Campaign to help the President's reelection coffers in California, the statewide teachers' union threatened to withdraw support for the incumbent.
This subtle bullying will backfire against the Democratic Party, no doubt, but more importantly public education may enjoy a renaissance of decentralization unprecedented in decades. The Democratic party may lose its grip over key constituencies, where voters have grown tired of delays and scaled-back reforms to parent power and student protest. Minority voters are adversely affected by the current status quo of government monopoly schooling, much of which forces Hispanic and black students to suffer in the worst urban schools without choice or authority to demand meaningful reforms.
Chancellor Michelle Rhee stood up to the teachers' union in Washington D.C., despite sharing the same party affiliation. Perhaps the rise of independent voters will peel off a growing number of disillusioned voters to abandon the Democratic Party, thus offering the struggling Republican caucus another chance to surge in prominence on a wedge issue that is driving the Democrats apart.