Thompson: Toledo Teachers Respond To Peer Review Cuts

When Toledo faced budgetary problems last year, many policemen called in sick with the "blue flue" but Francine Lawrence and the local AFT worked collaboratively and granted concessions -- a move they may be regretting now.  For three decades, reformers like Francine and Dal Lawrence have helped remove ineffective teachers using peer review, but now Toledo wants to save $300,000 by cutting the Toledo Plan and in response the union had no choice but to withdraw its support for the district's Race to the Top grant. The Toledo Blade complains that $10.8 million of federal money has been frozen.  But there's a bigger danger.  By strong-arming unions to grant concessions to states that now may be governed by rightwing Republicans, Ohio's 20 electoral votes were  placed in jeopardy.- JT (@drjohnthompson) Image via.