This seems to make sense educationally, but the issues of favoritism and bias cannot be overlooked. There has been some discussion about committee-based hiring that includes the administrator, parents and a union representative. I think this is probably the way to go, but here again, questions of how and when become critical. While the parents will have children in the school, I think the union rep should be from outside of the school, otherwise you could run into a dynamic where the principal goes unchallenged. Many parents are reluctant to disagree with principals and teachers for fear of the impact it might have on their children.
Some teachers are also worried about the effects of going head to head with their boss.
It's hard to say how this will all play out. The news just lets out a little bit of information here and there and negotiations continue. A strike sets a bad dynamic My nerves are shot and I know that teachers all over the city are not only worried about these issues, they're worried about their pay as well. The news often paints teachers as greedy. The media doesn't generally acknowledge that the teachers of today have their own families to support and bills to pay.