Statement from Sandra Feldman,
President of the American Federation of Teachers,
on the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher 2003

Washington, D.C.— The results of this year’s MetLife survey find that teachers and parents hold similar views of schools, but their views differ sharply from principals’. Principals are much more positive about the characteristics of their schools than are teachers and parents. What’s more, principals claim that they spend most of their time working to improve student achievement – an assertion that is at odds with the observations of teachers and parents.

Honest observers may disagree about whether principals spend too much time on paperwork or are out of touch with the community, but everyone who cares about improving education knows that teachers belong at the center of school reform efforts. There is a lesson here for those who believe that students are best served when principals have complete control of schools. Good teachers understand what parents want and students need. Yet, too often, teachers are left out of the decision-making process and forced to accept the latest education fads and top-down reforms.

The American Federation of Teachers was founded on the premise that teachers’ voices need to be heard. We will continue our efforts to give teachers a voice, encourage parent involvement and work with parents and principals to raise student achievement.

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The AFT represents more than 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.