"This month city officials persuaded lawmakers in Albany to introduce a bill that would allow the city to decide which teachers to let go, although its chances of passing are slim. Similar legislation in California, where thousands of young teachers have received letters saying they could be out of work, moved forward last week, backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arizona abolished seniority rules last year, and this month its Legislature banned the use of seniority if teachers are rehired."
What do you think? Should decisions to hire or fire teachers take seniority into account? If so, to what degree? If not, what should drive that decision making?
I want the Edworks Editorial Department to step in here. I want opinions!
ReplyDeleteSeniority ought to be a factor; how much is hard to say. The iron-clad seniority rules as they exist today are unreasonable. I think there's a fear by teachers' unions that eliminating this premium on seniority will result in the nightmarish scenario likened to an old factory worker, having spent his entire life working at the plant, battered and weary from 35 years on the production line, who is tossed out on his butt when it's decided he's moving too slow and he hobbles away with nothing to show for a life sacrificed to the company. There's so much room in between these two extremes in which to come to a reasonable resolution.
I don't think seniority should have a large impact on the decision to hire or fire. It doesn't make sense to me that a person is entitled to a job because they have been there for three years or thirty years. I think what matters are factors like student achievement, contribution to the school, professionalism, etc. much more than years in the system. I think you need to do what is best for kids, so seniority should never take precedence over impact on students.
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