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Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Taking on tenure
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve been reading a lot of stories lately about a proposal challenging teacher tenure in Washington D.C. public schools.
Chancellor Michelle Rhee, proposed two options for teachers. One would almost double teachers’ salaries, but they would have to give up tenure for a year. At the end of the year they would either need a recommendation from the principal or they could get fired.
The second plan would give teachers big raises, but they would lose seniority rights.
Ideally, good teachers would succeed under either plan, while the bad would lose their jobs. (The money to increase salaries would come from foundations.)
The teachers’ union is fighting her proposal. Union reps and other teachers say tenure gives them job security and protects them against the whims of administrators, parents, school board members and others.
What do you think of the chancellor’s proposal? Has tenure’s time expired?
