I keep hearing that teachers can't be fired, why not?

Question

I heard a teacher say this,









I heard a teacher say, "they can't fire me, what are they going to do?"

Answer 1

The others answered it: it's a misconception that teachers cannot be fired. In fact, until teachers gain tenure (two years, someone said?) it's easy to fire them.
Example: my AP Physics teacher was new to our school last year, and because the school district I was in only had new teachers sign a contract for one semester, she got fired before the first semester was over and didn't come back after Christmas. While the school wasn't required to give an official reason, she was basically incompetent at teaching on the AP level.
Once teachers gain tenure, it is harder to fire them (union rules) but not impossible. They can still be fired for gross incompetence or any illegal activity.
Example: an AP Euro teacher at my school paid two students to fake-kidnap his wife so he could "rescue" her, in a kind of sad attempt to save his marriage. She managed to call the cops, it all came out, and he got fired. Sad, too; he was a good teacher, lol.

Answer 2

Don't listen to the hype. A teacher can be fired under the conditions that (s)he used the "spanking" tenure (if that's the proper word) or other punitive measures, to abuse selected students, or is engaged in drug use or other illegal activity, or if it was revealed that a teacher was involved in the sex industry in the past (i.e.: the teacher is an ex-stripper or made pornographic films.) The last one can especially be true if said teacher is teaching elementary school students.

If a teacher is also dating or having sexual relations with a student, not only will that get the teacher, but the latter can also land him/her in court and possibly in jail. Mary Kay Letorneau is an excellent example of this. So saying a teacher has immortal powers and can't be fired is extremely false.

Answer 3

It depends on what kind of teacher you are talking about. Any teacher can be fired for breaking the law. I have never heard of k-12 teachers being exempt from being fired. However, I am aware that some high level college professors are given tenure after working for so many years in a department. I think that the purpose is to protect those professors whose research interests don't agree with public opinion.

Answer 4

A teacher has to work a certain amount of time to earn tenure (pronounced TEN-year). Prior to earning tenure they can be fired for any reason or no reason at all. Once tenure is earned, the teacher has to do something very wrong to be fired - usually involving some sort of physical contact with a student (like hitting or sexual contact).

Answer 5

Teachers can be fired for "just cause". That doesn't mean because they drink beer, are married to someone the school board doesn't like, belong to a different political party, or whatever! We have rights! Why does that bother some people so much?

Answer 6

Where did you hear that? That is absolutely false. Teachers can and do get fired.

It is hard to fire a tenured professor without cause, but if someone wants to fire them bad enough, they will find the cause.

Answer 7

Once teachers get past the first two years of teaching, their union protects them unless the teacher did something really horrible such as a sex act with a student.

Answer 8

It's a fallacy that teachers can't be fired. After they attain tenure, it is more difficult, yes, but if proof of incompetence, negligence, abuse, or illegal activity (among other things) is available, a teacher *can* be fired.

Answer 9

Because they are on contract for the first 2 years and then after that, they are tenured or continuing contract. The terms are as mentioned, protected by their union so that contract cannot be broken.

Answer 10

Of course they can be fired just like any other person can be fired, look at Mary Kay Letourneau for instance.