Four decades after collective bargaining came to public education, school boards and the superintendents they hire still routinely blame teacher unions for causing massive inefficiencies, stifling innovation, and preventing change designed to promote student learning. "Our hands are tied," school boards commonly complain when school…

Described is a teacher strike in Upper Merion, Pennsylvania. The strike centered around the issue of how to evaluate teachers in an era of declining enrollment, and caused a great deal of conflict among teachers, administrators, and the community. (KC)