The Knowledge Guild

Teaching aspires to become a profession, yet it faces two daunting obstacles. First, public school teachers cling to unprofessional salary schedules and terms of employment that make it impossible to pay them based on their performance and market demand. Second, the unions that bargain these terms are modeled not on professional associations, but on the industrial unions of the early and mid-20th century. The right model for the teacher unions is the medieval craftsman guilds, the hallmarks of which were professional ability and demonstrated accomplishment. This article discusses the tension between unions and professionals. It explores the reasons why teachers join unions modeled on the industrial unions of skilled and semi-skilled workers rather than medieval guilds or modern professional associations.