On February 16, Apple CEO Steve Jobs went after teachers unions at an Austin conference organized by the Texas Public Education Reform Foundation. More business people like Jobs are needed to topple the government education monopoly monument. The Milwaukee school choice program gained momentum when business people left behind the "go along, get along" mentality and championed better schools through choice. According to the AP press release, Jobs remarked, principals must be able to fire bad teachers if schools are to improve. "What kind of person could you get to run a small business if you told them that when they came in they couldn't get rid of people that they thought weren't any good?" Jobs stated, "I believe that what is wrong with our schools in this nation is that they have become unionized in the worst possible way." Moreover, "This unionization and lifetime employment of K-12 teachers is off-the-charts crazy." Among others, John Stossel documented in his TV special, "Stupid in America," the gauntlet school administrators have to run to get rid of the bad apples.

Jobs hit a nail on the head: Unions have a stranglehold on the system and they will continue to fight tooth and nail to protect their virtual monopoly status. Hopefully, with Job's courageous pronouncement before university presidents, business executives and a politician or three, other CEOs will raise their voice for better education for the children through choice and competition.