Teacher
tenure proposition unfair
Kimberlee Morrison
With all the conflicting campaigns, who can actually make an intelligent decision
when voting on the ballot measures in the upcoming special election? Only those
who seek out the information diligently will truly be informed. Although I wish
I could understand and explain all of the measures, I have chosen one affecting
education — Proposition 74.
Proposition 74 increases the probationary period required before a teacher can
be given tenure in addition to eliminating the 90-day performance improvement
allowance and reducing the documentation needed in order to prove unsatisfactory
performance.
According to the attorney general and supporters of this initiative, the extended
probationary period before tenure and ease of dismissing a teacher with two consecutive
poor performance evaluations are meant to “place more emphasis on the evaluation
process” but stipulate no requirements to improve evaluation standards.
They also argue it could save school districts money on salaries for higher paid
teachers who may be inadequate by replacing them with lower-paid new teachers.
There are two problems that arise from the proposed legislation. First, new teachers
(especially in urban and inner-city areas) are thrown into classrooms with far
too many students, too little time to complete a lesson and sometimes inadequate
supplies. All they have is a credential and a year of student teaching under
their belts.
Second, why does the increase in the probationary period have to be coupled with
a more relaxed policy on dismissal?
I agree that making tenure more difficult to receive may weed out people in the
teaching profession not cut out for the job. There is no stipulation though,
for the requirements for quality performance other than to say that a certificated
employee could be dismissed for dishonesty or professional misconduct. In my
eyes, this is a sneaky way to get rid of teachers with unorthodox teaching styles,
who might be the most important and influential teachers students encounter.
I do not want to see the possibility of losing innovative teachers to unfair
legislation. Proposition 74 could actually hurt more than it would help.
Supporters of this initiative would have us believe this measure will help put
money back in classrooms, but they do not bother to explain how. They also state
that throwing more money into education is no way to fix our educational crisis
(California is near the bottom in education), but again offer no real suggestions
other than this band-aid solution, which is the same as throwing more money into
a bottomless pit of educational reform.
Others would have us believe poor student performance should be a good enough
reason for dismissal of a teacher. However, with the reality of inner-city school
conditions, many teachers in these areas are just as inadequately supplied as
the students and have no training for dealing and recognizing student issues
that may hinder the learning process.
Part of Proposition 74 works, but most of it does not. California “educational
reformers” continue blaming students or teachers for poor performance in
both areas, but truthfully, the state ignores the issue plaguing students and
teachers. Students are expected to be able to live and learn in poverty or racial
hot spots. Teachers are expected to come out of college and be able to educate
in these same conditions and as someone who has worked as a college aid, students
bring their issues to school.
This initiative is just another bandage effort for California’s antiquated
and callous educational system. Yes, teachers need to work longer and harder
to prove they deserve tenure, but allowing our schools to dismiss teachers for
abstract reasons without documentation will not improve education. In fact, it
could potentially make it more difficult to recruit and retain new teachers,
leading to more over crowding.
The focus should be real reform.
California is already hurting for qualified teachers. Why demoralize the ones
we have by putting so much focus on how to fire them more easily? Granted Proposition
74 applies to all certificated employees, however, according to the attorney
general teachers will be first and most affected.
Kimberlee Morrison is a senior occupational studies major.
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