Columbia University Press this month published a biography of an education union pioneer - Tough Liberal - Albert Shanker and the Battles Over Schools, Unions, Race, and Democracy.

"This book brings to life his core values and underscores the enormous contribution he made," said Ed McElroy, who speaks from the bully pulpit Shanker once used as president of the American Federation of Teachers.

Author Richard D. Kahlenberg is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation and author of two other books on education policy. The well-researched biography tells of the struggle for causes Shanker believed in:

• the concerted effort by Shanker, Tom Hobart and other visionary leaders to merge two organizations in 1972 to form the union that became NYSUT.

• organization of New York paraprofessionals as dedicated unionists with contractual incentives to pursue further training to become teachers.

• leadership of the education reform movement in the interest of improving public education by building an "intellectually potent teachers union," in the words of the late Sandy Feldman, who succeeded Shanker as president of the United Federation of Teachers and later the AFT.

Shanker died in 1997.

"There are too many so-called leaders who wait to see how the wind is blowing," said NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi. "Al Shanker knew how to lead and prepare for the future."