The Inside Story of the Teacher Revolution in America

Don Cameron has written a firsthand account of how and why America's teachers organized and unionized. His description of the status of teachers prior to the teacher revolution of the 1960s and '70s, particularly in Michigan, is compelling and accurate. No less revealing is his characterization of how the National Education Association haltingly handled the education reform movement during the 1980s after publication of President Reagan's Nation at Risk report and the failed merger attempt between NEA and its rival, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The stories are informative and bursting to be told. -- Keith Geiger, NEA president, 1989?1996
This book provides direct and personal insight into many of the issues that have long plagued America's teachers. Cameron's experiences in dealing with such topics as collective bargaining, teacher competence, inadequate salaries, difficult working conditions, and the politics of education are right on target. His insights into the education reform movement are particularly descriptive, and his exploration of NEA's 'New Unionism' movement during the 1990s is insightful. Every educator and politician should read The Inside Story of the Teacher Revolution in America. -- Bob Chase, NEA president, 1996?2002
Cameron offers a personal account of the teacher revolution of the 1960s, when educators in public school classrooms around the country began to organize. He identifies the conditions that sparked this rebellion and follows its trajectory over a forty-year period. * Reference and Research Book News *
[Don Cameron's] account derives from his multiple perspectives as teacher, NEA representative, negotiator, and high level administrator and is driven by his obvious passion for education, teachers, and the unions that support them. * Teachers College Record *
[Don Cameron's] account...[is] very much for the general reader and you don't have to be an expert on American education to enjoy it. The issues that he writes about are live issues for every teacher, and the central narrative about rapprochement with the powerful and media-savvy American Federation of Teachers has particular resonance for UK readers. It's the style, though, that makes his story so refreshing. * Times Educational Supplement *
The Inside Story of the Teacher Revolution in America is a must-read for those who want to understand the gripping change that characterized education and the National Education Association during the 1960s and 1970s. Cameron's book has important lessons for any organization, business, or union that ignores the legitimate grievances of those who provide the work, whether in government or private industry. Equity and stability are obverse sides of the same coin, and the absence of justice and dignity in the work place, when reinforced by insensitive public policy, makes rebels of even the most thoughtful and compassionate people. This book is a cautionary tale about the calcification of leadership. -- John Ryor, NEA president, 1976–1980