Central Falls, RI

A Rhode Island school superintendent from Central Falls was trying to fix an extremely bad and failing school in her district. Central Falls High is at the bottom of the state heap when it comes to graduation rates and test scores.

School Superintendent Frances Gallo's Plan called for teachers at a local high school to work 25 minutes longer per day, eat lunch with students once in a while, help with tutoring, submit to more rigorous evaluations, attend weekly after-school planning sessions with fellow teachers and participate in two weeks of training during the summer break.

The teachers' union has refused to accept these new rules.

The teachers at the high school make $70,000-$78,000, as compared to a median income in the town of $22,000. This exemplifies a nationwide trend in which government workers make far more than their private-sector counterparts and with better benefits.

After the union said "No" to the school superintendents new plan she responded to the union's stubbornness by firing about 100 teachers, administrators and staff members at the school.

"I am saddened and shaken at the core by the enormous ramifications of my responsibilities," Gallo said. "The only solace I have is that I know I provided every opportunity possible, in fully public and transparent ways, the means to avoid this."

Way to go Ms. Gallo!

One of the greatest threats to our country is teacher unions.