The teacher unions' Odysseus

What's behind AFT President Randi Weingarten's recent moves? Is she leading the AFT and teachers away from collectivist policies that have long under girded teacher unionism? Has she embraced a new role for teacher unions? Or is she maneuvering to minimize the depth and breadth of reforms in traditional industrial-style teacher unionism in the face of withering criticism of education unions in recent years? What Weingarten wants, it seems, is political cover from her allies. If reformers and labor-friendly political leaders were to publicly praise Weingarten for the reform measures she's already taken, they could find an ally who would help them move reforms further and faster. © 2011.