TEACHER PARTICIPATION

WHEREAS, the classroom teachers of America have had the professional training in colleges and universities and possess the educational experience in the schools and classrooms to enable them to deal collectively and efficiently with the professional problems, programs and policies of education for the benefit of America's children; and

WHEREAS, on the other hand, Boards of Education and lay committees generally lack the training and experience to deal competently with such professional problems; and

WHEREAS, teachers are vitally affected by the school organization and thus should share in the control of such organization; and

WHEREAS, school systems in which educational policy decisions are imposed by superintendents and Boards of Education constitute hierarchal arrangements in violation of the principles of democracy; and

WHEREAS, democracy in the administration of professional educational matters exists only insofar as teachers have and exercise the opportunity to participate in the formulation of professional school policies that affect them; and

WHEREAS, such opportunities for participation would bestow upon classroom teachers a dignity and a self respect to which they are entitled in a democratic society; and

WHEREAS, school systems in which classroom teachers possess the opportunities to participate in policy making would attract strong personalities to faculties and would retain them for the benefit of our schools:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers strengthen its membership in order to secure adequate opportunities for educational policy-making; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers urge its members to get actively into politics and seek legislation which will aid them in securing participation in educational policy-making; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers utilize public opinion to win greater opportunities for educational policy-making; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers urge its locals to insist upon opportunities to share in making policy decisions on such matters as curriculum revision, homogenous groupings, hiring and promotion of teachers, improving libraries, and planning new school facilities.