Three Myths About Teacher Tenure

[eridani]

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17391/three_myths_of_teacher_tenure

Myth #1: Teacher tenure means a job for life.

Teacher tenure is not like academic tenure, which is set up through each university. Faculty members jump through many hoops before becoming tenured.

But maybe the differences are beside the point. Both systems lay out clear grounds for dismissal. A teacher or professor can be fired—for cause.

Myth #2: It’s impossible to fire a tenured teacher.

Research shows teachers are fired more often than federal workers—above 2 percent, compared to .02 percent a year. These figures come from Dana Goldstein’s new book, The Teacher Wars: A History of America’s Most Embattled Profession.

Goldstein also looked at comparable private sector data. These jobs too were more secure than teaching.

If teachers violate policy or can’t do their jobs, it’s up to administrators to make a case to remove them. That’s what due process means.

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. This part never went away:

>>>>The push for tenure systems came out of the desire to protect teachers and districts from the politically motivated firings that came with patronage politics.>>>>>

Now the patronage is less what "party" one belongs to than who one's friends are.

Of course, money's a huge factor also. One thing I've noticed here...NYC.... anecdotally, at least: A spike in "incompetence" proceedings vs. people who are closing on on 10 years of service. 10 years marks the point where a teacher is vested in the retirement system and is guaranteed medical benefits for life ( i.e. the same benefit as one would receive after 25+ years of service.)

They've pretty much driven out the 25+ years people, so they appear to be targeting the 7, 8, 9-year teacher demographic.

Despite the data that suggests that that is precisely when one is reaching one's pedagogical peak.

"Cheap-labor capitalism"..... someone on DU called it when I posted on a related topic.

Well, yeah. I guess that's it in a nutshell.