Kick me, I'm a public school teacher

In my latest Huffington Post piece,  Kick Me, I'm a Public School Teacher , I make the case that it is time for teachers to stand up for themselves and stop the half-truths and outright lies being spread by the so-caled "reformers" about our profession, including the following passage:

At a time when teacher unions should be trumpeting the successes of teachers and schools across the United States, the supposedly powerful teacher representatives have turned from tigers to tabbies, allowing the perception of educators to be changed from people who devote their time and passion to making sure children receive the best education possible to overpaid, selfish bureaucrats reaching tenure then napping until it is time for a golden-plated retirement.

During this time when teacher tenure laws are being struck down and dubious plans to base pay on poorly written standardized tests are making their way through state legislatures and have seemingly received the stamp of approval from Arne Duncan and the Obama Administration, our union representatives appear more intent on playing defense and giving up the very things that have made our public education system great.

Teachers would never have had to hit the streets in Wisconsin if their case had been presented to the court of popular opinion well in advance of the actions of Scott Walker and the Republican-controlled legislature.