I Think It's Time to Buy Another Mac

Steve Jobs always struck me as a smart guy...

Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs lambasted teacher unions today, claiming no amount of technology in the classroom would improve public schools until principals could fire bad teachers.

Jobs compared schools to businesses with principals serving as CEOs.

"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?" he asked to loud applause during an education reform conference.

"Not really great ones because if you're really smart you go, 'I can't win.'"

In a rare joint appearance, Jobs shared the stage with competitor Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Inc. Both spoke to the gathering about the potential for bringing technological advances to classrooms.

"I believe that what is wrong with our schools in this nation is that they have become unionized in the worst possible way," Jobs said.

"This unionization and lifetime employment of K-12 teachers is off-the-charts crazy."

(hat tip: Protein Wisdom) Michael Dell wasn't an enthusiastic backer. But then again, I hear Barack Obama might agree with Jobs, at least a little bit. Of course, I question if he really means it. But let's hope he can challenge the Democrats' wholesale addiction to the NEA agenda. In the meantime, we hope more people listen to Jobs.