NCLB swamping State Dept.'s of Ed.?

I don't follow public education stories (especially when my children aren't directly impacted), but I happened upon this story about the rising influence of Nashville's teachers' union, and it got me to thinkin' . . . in sum, it is intriguing to me that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) may inadvertently be fostering the influence of local teachers' unions at the expense of local school systems (and, frankly, at the expense of students in said systems). As State Departments of Education are given authority (read: responsibility) to control local failing (per NCLB standards) school systems, are State Education officials practically forced to let special interest foxes in to help guard the henhouse?

From today's City Paper article regarding the controversy of MNEA's potentially extensive role in principal and vice princpal assignments in Nashville:

The state has authority to make principal and assistant principal changes due to the d[i]strict’s repeated failure to pass certain benchmarks required by state and federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) laws. MNPS, as a district, is currently in NCLB’s “Restructuring” status, giving the DOE authority to approve all staffing resources.

One school board member, Steve Glover, recently organized a meeting with three state legislators to discuss the state’s role with the school district. At that meeting, Glover noted that some of the principals moved by the state had brought about success and change at their schools, in terms of NCLB. There appeared to be other factors playing a role in principal moves, and Glover highlighted public statements from Smith that the MNEA had contributed to the process.

. . . .

“It appears that they [MNEA] had a considerable amount of influence. …It unnerves me to think that they may have a hand in determining who the principals are, because I think that’s clearly a management decision,” Glover said. “Any time you’re in management, it’s a very fine line between the ‘respect’ and the ‘like.’”

. . . .

[Metro Nashville School] Board chair Marsha Warden said Thursday that she agrees that the MNEA’s relationship with the district has changed. She added that she hopes the union will play a larger role in helping the district monitor the effectiveness of individual teachers. A positive relationship with the union will be helpful to MNPS, she said, as long as the teachers’ union serves as a professional organization with a focus on teacher and student success.

“I think one of the most beneficial results for children would be a beneficial relationship with the MNEA,” Warden said.

The obtuseness (and naivete, INMHO) of that last statement by Board Chair Marsha Warden is odd . . . and it almost makes you wonder exactly how concerned she is about having her school system in "restructuring" status.