New Jersey’s teacher tenure bill was signed into law this week, a resounding victory in the first round of the reform fight — but it’s not over yet.To get that crucial legislation passed, reformers had to abandon their push to end the practice known as “last in, first out,” which protects absolute seniority rights during times of layoffs. The state’s largest teachers union insisted upon it.Now, that sacrifice will fall hardest on cities such as Newark that face hundreds of layoffs over the next few years. They’ll be forced to purge their younger teachers, including even the most talented and hardworking ones.That’s not what’s best for kids. Principals should have the power to retain and reward their top teachers. So we’ve got to rally around the seniority fight again, and drum up the political will to fix this.
So let me get this straight: you want to give more power to choose which teachers to lay off to the principals you say aren't making distinctions between the best and worst teachers?[...]According to a study of four urban school districts by the New Teacher Project, a New York-based policy group, many principals don’t make any distinction between their best and worst teachers. [emphasis mine]
I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried, folks...
The Star-Ledger Editorial Board confronts logic.
Jazzman:
ReplyDeleteAs an attorney who specializes in labor law, I had to laugh when I read the following line from the editorial: "The union argues that veteran teachers will be fired to save more money — a highly unlikely scenario because it would violate federal laws against age discrimination. The real effect of these rules is that districts are forced to fire good young teachers in times of layoffs."
Any attorney in the state; no, the country, will tell you that age discrim cases went bye-bye after the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on "Gross v. FBL Financial Services Inc." It put the burden of proof squarely on the shoulders of the plantiff. Unless the SC is changed by Obama, or until a more socially minded Congress gets into power by next year, you will see more and more 55+ workers get the axe. You can also forget about unemployment, especially if Rommey/Ryan are elected.