When school children start paying union dues, then perhaps they can expect unions to represent their interests. And as the Chicago Teachers Union goes on strike in perhaps one of the most union-friendly states in the country, one has to wonder what the CTU is thinking. It’s certainly not the children.

Almost one in four children in K-12 education in the United States is Latino, as well as one in six students in higher education. In some states, like Texas, more than 40 percent of Latinos are underage and will rely heavily on a quality education for greater opportunities in their futures. Since Latinos will be the engine of population growth in the country as a whole for at least the next two generations, we should be concerned about the impact unions have on the quality of education.

And before union cheerleaders start posting links to school rankings by states who are union friendly, its important to note that not all unions are created equal. Not surprisingly, unions in minority districts may be less equal than those in white districts.

Perhaps this is a function of bureaucratic response to academic needs that arise from social issues endemic in low-income communities. More problems means more programs to deal with them, and more programs requires more administrators, which may mean less money spent on books and instruction.

Read more at NBC Latino