Re: “ GOP Governors Take Aim at Teacher Tenure” The Debate Over Tenure for Teachers (319 hits)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg set up his first major confrontation with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Sunday, publicly demanding that he use his coming state budget to reverse a rule that protects long-serving teachers from layoffs, regardless of merit. “I say enough with Albany rules,” Mr. Bloomberg said. ...
Responses to Teacher Tenure: ..."One can hardly dispute that teacher tenure may, in some cases, harm students. ... I worked in such a district 35 years ago in rural New Hampshire where unions often did not exist. I saw top-notch, enthusiastic teachers dismissed before they reached the next salary step or their tenure year. This may have kept the costs down, but it also kept the quality of the teaching staff questionable. Let’s face it; experience does matter in a profession that may be a passion as well as an art. Let’s hope that reform of the tenure system works for promising educators as well as for students". ... Susan R. Donovan Bristol, R.I., Feb. 2, 2011
..."Being shackled by union bureaucracy stifles new ideas and a better standard of education. If the United States is to achieve President Obama’s “Sputnik moment,” the country will need the finest teachers to spark young minds and nurture them in science, math and technology". ... James Dyson Malmesbury, England, Feb. 2, 2011
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s desire to have Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo change the teacher seniority rule in the event of layoffs cleverly overlooks an important element of his argument. He claims that merit should be the determining factor in any layoff decision, yet he knows that determining merit is difficult and open to negotiation. More important, he knows that teachers with seniority are higher up in the pay scale, and this opens up the possibility that decisions will be made more on economics than on merit. Mr. Bloomberg is also overlooking a fact that is self-evident to all teachers: experience increases an educator’s merit in most cases". ... Larry Hoffner New York, Jan. 31, 2011
Is this really a way to attract more talented and committed young people into the teaching profession? Take away any job security. Make their continued emplyment dependent on factors beyond their control and subject.
The main result of deprivintg teachers of tenure proteciton will be to guarantee tbhat even good teachers will be looking over their shoulders because they know that even one disruptive emotionally disturbed student can hijack a whole class and destroy the education for everyone in the class.
Rather than looking for ways to terminate teachers, how about looking for ways to support them?
I believe you can understand that Bloomberg is a pure business man who is looking at the bottom line in a hard economy. Afterall he doesn't take a salary as NY Mayor and uses public transport so clearly he is interested in cutting costs where he can even if it means axing tenured teachers. Many of them really aren't that good anyway and could care less if students learn or not.
Monday, February 7th 2011 at 11:02PM
Jen Fad
@ Sister Irma, I think that system of evaluation should be utilized more in schools in order to find out who is really helping and effecting change and learning from their students.
Tuesday, February 8th 2011 at 4:37PM
Jen Fad
oops I meant to see what student are learning from their teachers and if they aren't why not... A good teacher will inspire his/her students to learn.
Tuesday, February 8th 2011 at 10:45PM
Jen Fad
I like our system of allowing the students to evaluate the teachers. they are the ones whoknow the teacher and his/her teching styls and know each other on a personal level.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
