Send a Quote Enter a brief message. SendOk2 “It is time to admit that public education operates like a planned economy. It's a bureaucratic system where everybody's role is spelled out in advance, and there are few incentives for innovation and productivity. It's not a surprise when a school system doesn't improve. It more resembles a Communist economy than our own market economy.” ~ Albert Shanker (1928-1997) president of the United Federation of Teachers (1964-1985), president of the American Federation of Teachers (1974-1997)Source: Wall Street Journal, October 2, 1989