The SEIU's one criteria

From today's Tennessean on the District 7 race:

To be eligible for an SEIU endorsement, candidates had to promise that they would vote to reinstate the memorandum of understanding between support employees and the school district. Director of Schools Jesse Register severed the memorandum, which acted as a guiding document for how the administration handled employment matters with support staffers.

I'm generally supportive of unions. I worked with several when I worked for Joe Sestak's first campaign. I was a member of the PFT in Philly and, when I worked at Cane Ridge HS, a member of the MNEA. I've met legendary SEIU leader Andy Stern, heard him speak, and was impressed. I think support staff play a important role in a school and should be treated like the professionals they are. 


But this was the SEIU's one criteria for a school board endorsement. 


What does this have to do with increasing student achievement?


Don't their members, many of whom have children and grandchildren in MNPS, have some other questions they'd like to ask prospective board members?


Are we going to choose the next superintendent based not on how he or she will increase the number of high-performing classroom, but on how he or she will handle a labor dispute with employees who don't directly impact student learning?


C'mon SEIU. I'm the type of person who could be swayed to your cause, but you've got to give me something to work with here.