Even our "union free" districts have unions
Knowing plenty of teachers, including some principals I'd have to say I'm neutral on the teachers unions. Their compensation is reasonable for the area.
The big thing that seems to have fucked us (locally) over in terms of quality of education and cost of education are lawyers and No child Left Behind. Thats followed by idiots who think our schools have to be tachno whizbang state of the art. SO much money pissed right down the toilet because some old fucktard thinks we need state of the art this and state of the art that...