IMO and experience, it’s highly dependent upon the laws in each state and whether or not the teachers’ union is strong.
In NYS we have a very powerful union (NYSUT) and even more so specifically here in NYC (UFT).
Yet I know someone who knows someone, which I posted about awhile ago, which illustrates how NYS handles these issues.
We do not work on a yearly renewable contract. Once we have achieved tenure, which is IIRC three years, (maybe four by now), that is our career until we retire or choose to leave.
Yet my friend’s friend who taught 12th grade Social Studies was removed from the classroom, despite being a longtime tenured teacher, because he called a student a “porcupine” due to her multiple facial piercings.
Some kids would laugh that off, but she was highly offended. The teacher was removed to what used to be called “the Rubber Room,” with full pay and benefits and a lawyer provided by the UFT.
I don’t know if he went back to teaching or not, but to fire a NYC teacher, the state has to go through something called I think the 3020 process, something like that.
This was not sexual abuse, this was not creepy vibes, this was not a teacher moving from school to school and unable to do his job.
He said one thing that was offensive and he was out the door, and as I said I don’t know if he was reinstated or not.
So, there’s no one-size-fits-all.
JMO based on experience and knowledge of my state and city.
ETA: I mean no offense, but the impression we have up North is that in the South, pay is low and unions are weak. Forgive me if I’m incorrect. (Bless your hearts)!
Wow, those kinds of firing practices do not exist down here.
Yes, pay is lower than where you are. And unions are weak.
Texas is not a wealthy state- but you can live just fine off of a teacher’s salary here.
So while it is tough to fire a teacher with experience who is in good standing, it is absolutely not impossible.
When a bad teacher hangs around too long, from what I’ve seen, it seems due to
laziness on the part of admin,
a community and possibly parents who are in denial,
a good ole boy networking system,
It isn’t because of active unions or teacher’s rights.
Therefore when an accusation comes up- I translate that into… a minor child became brave enough to come forward to an adult, and nobody listened.
That is what I’ve seen.
As I have taught only in Texas, I am only familiar with the culture here. And that culture is distinctly different from district to district.
Lewisville is a nice suburb of Dallas, so I am shocked at the admin’s response to parents. It was mentioned by one of the moms that Donald Elementary had lost half of their teachers the summer prior. To me that stinks- what the heck happened?
So AJM seems a hire of desperation- to fill a classroom with a warm body, and they didn’t want to deal with it until May.
Two former FBI Agents common in the true crime arena live near Lewisville.
Jennifer Coffendaffer
Tracy Walder
That is a good thing, as neither of them intend to let the AJM hiring and failure to fire go.
We need a system to prevent Passing The Trash from district to district, state to state.
Texas is improving, so I’ll give them that.
As someone who considers teaching a tough, often thankless, but extremely important and noble profession- I am livid when the profession or professional teachers are treated as if anyone can do the job. Sometimes admin seems disconnected from the classroom. So they hire just anyone, while in the next room a career teacher is busting their butt every day to give students every bit of themselves- and changing student lives.
Anyone cannot teach well
I challenge anyone to sign up to be a sub at any grade level for a full day- and see how that goes.
I hope the lives of Cristen and Clinton were not lost in vain, and hiring and firing practices of teachers across the nation improve because this case shows a chasm of a flaw.
We have to do better!
I’ll step down now,
IMO
