Sign up for The 74 NewsletterFor years, Democratic politicians have treated support for teachers unions as a proxy for supporting public education itself. The logic is simple and politically convenient: Stand with unions, stand with teachers; stand with teachers, stand with students. Teachers unions exist to advocate for the labor interests of their members, not the educational interests of kids and families. In the case of teachers unions, these are typically tenured educators who are the most likely to vote, attend meetings and shape their organization’s direction. Despite a decade-long trend of declining academic outcomes, Democrats have offered little on education policy beyond familiar calls for more funding.