Oregon Teachers’ Union Pushes for Control over Class Size

A new proposal in the Oregon Legislature has stirred up controversy. The proposed legislation, House Bill 2703, would require school districts in the state to bargain with local teacher unions over class sizes. This is not the first time such a proposal has been introduced; a similar bill was rejected two years ago due to concerns over equity. The Oregon Education Association, which represents over 40,000 educators and is a major donor to the Democratic Party, is in favor of the proposal. However, critics argue that it could give too much power to teacher unions and may not be in the best interest of students.

Should Oregon’s teachers be able to dictate the size of classrooms like the teachers unions want? For more information, Lars speaks with Liv Finne, the Director, Center for Education at the Washington Policy Center.