Date of Award

Spring 5-1-1980

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Max Bough

Second Advisor

James Tyson

Third Advisor

Benjamin Walker

Abstract

Problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact and influence of Indiana public school teachers and teachers unions on the political system of Indiana, 1956-1976. Method. Legislators were contacted personally durinB the 1976 General Assembly, using a questionnaire to structure a short interview. Those legislators who were not accessible during the thirty-day session of the Legislature were mailed a copy of the questionnaire along with a letter of explanation and two reference letters. Based on the entire population of 150 legislators, 120 legislators responded, representing a return of 80 percent. The responses of both the interview group and the mailing group were tabulated by computer and were reported separately and as a total group. Summary. Chapter 2 was a comprehensive study of Indiana public school teachers and teacher unions and their political activities during the time period, 1956-1976. Chapter 3 consisted of the methodology involved in the study. A design was presented showing how the data would be analyzed. Chapter 4 consisted of the responses of the legislators to the questionnaire. Each question was reproduced as it was given with the results listed beneath it. Chapter 5 consisted of an analysis of the data in light of the hypotheses posed in conjunction with answering the problem. Chapter 6 consisted of the summary, conclusions, implications, and recommendations. Conclusions. 1. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly felt that more than half of their constituents were supportive of improving teacher working conditions but were a~ainst increasing teacher salaries. 2. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly rated teacher unions (IFT or ISTA) as a very stron~ or strong lobbying group. 3. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who were in the education profession had more favorable attitudes toward teacher and teacher union political activity than legislators who were lawyers or farmers. 4. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who considered their constituents to be rural or semi-rural were less favorable toward teacher and teacher union involvement in political activity than those legislators who considered their constituents to be suburban or urban. 5. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who had a spouse, parent, or child who was a teacher usually had less favorable attitudes toward teacher and teacher union involvement in political activity than those legislators who did not have a spouse, parent, or child who was a teacher. 6. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who served more than one term in the legislature acknowledged an increase of political influence by public school teachers and teacher unions since 1973, and an increase of political impact by public school teachers and teacher unions since 1972. 7. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who felt that teachers were not assuming too many of the local school board's prerogatives also felt that teacher unions were not getting too powerful for the public good. 8. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who did not be eve that the rights of public employees to engage in political activities should be limited also did not believe that the rights of teachers to engage in political activities should be limited. 9. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who did not believe that the rights of teachers to engage in political activities should be limited also reflected a belief in the freedom of teachers to engage in political activities. 10. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who actively sought teacher support in their last campaign also sought teacher union (IFT or ISTA) support in their last campaign. 11. Indiana legislators in the 1976 General Assembly who were formally endorsed by either or both of the teacher unions (IFT or ISTA) usually received COPE or PAC money~ but usually did not have volunteer workers provided by the teacher unions.

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