Do you think that teachers should still get tenure?

Answer 1

I think teachers should carry tear gas and guns.

Answer 2

What if your kid needed eye surgery? How would you feel if you found out that the eye surgeon could never be fired simply because he had worked at the hospital for a few years?

That's the way it is with teachers. Only they aren't operating on our childrens' eyes--they are shaping our children's minds.

And in California, it's not as if tenure is only granted to protect teachers with substantial experience. They are given tenure after only two (yes, 2) years. After that, it is virtually impossible to fire them. But really, I can't think of any job where you can't be fired if you make through two years.

The rationale for tenure is that teachers should be protected from firing for teaching unpopular views. But there are ways to achieve this goal short of the current tenure system.

If you are paid by the public and have a job as important as shaping children's minds, you should have to answer to the public.

Answer 3

At a certain level of quality and expertise, not just based on time served.

Teachers should be able to feel secure in their jobs, after they've demonstrated a consistent ability to manage a class, and to teach the students what they need to learn.

Teachers aren't just tape recorders, their job is not to just spit information out to be memorized. Their job is to get the information across and help the students to understand the material. That requires creativity, determination and skill. And the understanding can be objectively measured by the average grades, total exceptional grades, standardized test scores, etc. So it's not hard to set objective criteria.

Just putting in the time is not enough. But a true skilled profession, yes, they deserve that reward not just for long service, but for exceptional service.

Answer 4

even if they have tenure they can still get fired it is just a little harder. But if their are parental complaints tenure or no tenure that teacher changes her ways or is out of a job

Answer 5

no. tenure causes them to get lazy, and to feel they can get by with more. why should it be made harder to get rid of a teacher when a teacher is causing emotional or physical harm to children? i've been through this with a teacher, and she should have been gone a lot sooner than she was. she's not allowed to teach in my state anymore, but what about children in another state she may have relocated to? there's no reason for tenure. seniority should be enough. this allows them certain rights, yet allows for their punishment or severance should they do wrong.

Answer 6

Absolutely not. It breeds complacency. Treat teachers like others in the free market. The best rise to the top and the failures and chronically under-performers are fired. Tough in the real world teachers.

The only ones who need to worry are those who don't do their job..

Answer 7

No. Really, should anyone?