What’s a School District Like Without a Teachers’ Union?

Paying Dues Isn’t the Only Way for Educators to Get Organized

What would a California school district be like if it jettisoned its teachers’ union?

Up until recently, that question has been mostly hypothetical. For some, it’s a fantasy: Conservative education reformers believe that drumming labor out of the classroom would improve test scores and teaching. For others, it’s a nightmare: Teachers worry they would be left with little protection from the whims of said reformers, not to mention superintendents and school board members.

This year, the question has become more urgent. With the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the U.S. Supreme …