Jobs bashes teachers unions

His comments came at an education reform conference

February 20, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs laid into teachers unions Friday at a Texas education reform conference, an Austin newspaper reported, saying they're "what's wrong with our schools."

Teachers unions have traditionally represented one of Apple's most loyal group of customers and have largely stuck with the company since the days of the Apple IIe.

Unionization, said Jobs in reports filed by both the Associated Press and the Austin American-Statesman, was "off-the-charts crazy."

During a joint appearance with Michael Dell that was sponsored by the Texas Public Education Reform Foundation, Jobs took on the unions by first comparing schools to small businesses, and school principals to CEOs. He then asked rhetorically: "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? Not really great ones, because if you're really smart, you go, 'I can't win.' "

No one would dare talk about police departments or firefighters in this way. I have never understood why this is acceptable where teachers are concered. What does Jobs actually know about public education?