Unions as school‑failure villain

When major education narratives (books, op‑eds, reform accounts) single out systemic racism, poverty, or policy but omit teachers’ unions, public debate misses a powerful institutional actor that constrains staffing, discipline, and reform. Treating unions as a structural cause rather than merely an interest group reframes accountability, shifting potential remedies toward governance, contract rules, and local oversight. — This reframing matters because it changes which actors are targeted for reform and alters the politics of school improvement in large, unionized districts like New York City.