Controversial Issue—Teachers' Unions and tenure—are reforms needed?
Yes! Check out the website http://teachersunionexposed.com/protecting.cfm
Reforms ARE needed! Why? Because Teachers' Unions and tenure are keeping bad teacher in front of students. As an education major, it's hard to say this, because both Teachers' Unions and tenure help good teachers keep their jobs when it comes to budget cuts and position cuts, etc. In small town schools, like the one I attended, and the ones I would like to teach in, you see the stereotypical crabby 80-year-old teacher, who has been there since the school was build, still teaching out of 40-year-old books, who won't do grades in the computer because it's 'the devil'... etc. Not to mention the fact that she's making a pile of money because she has worked at the same school for so long! Because of Teachers' Unions and tenure, she won't be replaced until she's six feet under. Things definitely need to change! Out-dated teachers should be replaced with newer teachers, with newer teaching methods! Otherwise, I can kiss my education degree goodbye...
Laura,
ReplyDeleteFantastic post!!!
You should watch the movie/documentary "Waiting for Superman." While it is controversial, it provides some interesting perspective in terms of the role of tenure in the public school system. Tenure is designed to protect teachers from system abuse as well as repercussions from publishing controversial materials. In the collegiate/university system, tenure is EARNED through a rigorous process of review (peer and student), interviews, research, performance (for music), recruitment, and teaching effectiveness. Tenure in the elementary and secondary world involves just keeping your job for 3-5 years by keeping your nose clean.
Now it is nearly impossible to fire an ineffective teacher because of the tenure protection put in place by our educational unions. Tenure is wonderful...it protects those who need it, but also protects the bad teachers as well.
Dr. H.