Randi all wrong on teacher tenure

To the Editor:

In her March 10-16 column (“Modern education: Trickle-up dumbing down”), writer Randi Kreiss calls for the elimination of teacher tenure, repeating the canard that tenure guarantees teachers a job for life. But that is not what tenure does, no matter how many times that false statement is made!

Section 3012 of New York State Education law merely enable teachers who have successful survived their three-year probationary period to “…Hold their respective positions during good behavior and efficient and competent service…” Tenured teachers, however, can be fired (and are) if, after a due process hearing, they are found guilty of one or more of the following charges: incompetence, inefficiency, immoral character, conduct unbecoming of a teacher, neglect of duty, insubordination, physical or metal disability or failure to maintain certification.

As one who has served on numerous past hearing panels, I can attest to the fact that most of the above charges are relatively easy to prove. The one that is not is a teacher’s competency. And therein lies the rub on which most critics of tenure focused their objections. They claim it has been too difficult to demonstrate “incompetence” in a tenure hearing so tenure should be abolished. But now their concerns have been addressed.

Effective July 1, the “New Comprehensive Teacher and Principal Evaluation Law” kicks in. Under this amendment to Education Law 3020, teachers will be rated annually as either “highly effective,” “effective,” developing,” or “ineffective.” A teacher who is rated “ineffective” for two consecutive years can be then charged as incompetent and face dismissal. The competence of the teacher will be judged on a variety of criteria including his or her students’ scores on standardized tests as well as other local “rigorous” measures of student growth and achievement that are consistent with state regulations.

All tenure does is give a teacher his “day in court” to defend himself to a neutral hearing officer. The right to due process is a basic American principle, apparently a right that some like Randi Kreiss would deny to teachers but probably would not deny to murderers, thieves and terrorists.

Richard E. Hermann

President

Valley Stream Teachers Association