Was it a grand scheme on the part of these teachers, or were they simply devoted to giving the best education possible? It's easy to talk from arms-length about the violence and failure of union lazies. The reality, you might find, is far different.

These aren't teachers mozying their way through decades like dinosaurs. This is their livelihood. Many of them feel passion, and in one instance, I had a math teacher who told us on the first day on 9th grade that, after four years which he considered his dark period, he'd recently had a renewed sense of purpose. By that time, I'd almost given up on math and school in general. Instead, my high school years became inspired, and I went on to college, to write a book and to work in documentaries. Perhaps some of my fellow comrades in the ghetto could have fared better had they been given vouchers to private schools, but I can honestly say that everyone I know who went to school in my class is today contributing successfully to our society. I'm certain there are the casualties (both intellectually and true fallen soldiers), but most (if not all) cherished our times together and our teachers too, K-12.

My point is that government should only be involved in it's citizen's affairs no more than the Constitution allows, period.

There are always consequences when government interferes in our lives, whether it's under the guise of our good or not.