On the other hand, my DD is a new HS Math teacher is a low income area of NYC.
There was another Special Ed teacher who she would work with for students who needed accommodations for tests (e.g., a quiet area). This teacher would pick other teachers they don’t like to bully and undermine them and this time it was my DD’s turn. In the past she has gotten derogatory articles written about other teachers in the newspaper. For example, despite no training, will say that she also can create Geometry lesson plans. She also did things like giving the students the answers to test questions and making up lies about students (like saying the student called her a b*tc#") and then calling their parents. Or she would tell the students to write down on the quiz that my DD did not teach them that material. Or let one kid take a cell phone photo of another student’s paper. My DD knows this because the kids would tell her.
So my DD talked to the principal about all the events. But nothing would happen. She didn’t feel like the Principal had her back so when a job opportunity came up, she jumped on it. Her principal was reasonable enough to release her. She is excited to be able to teach at a competitive NYC Public HS and teach more advanced math like Calculus and will also be able to design a college level math class. So for her it is a blessing in disguise…but for her students they will not have a teacher that was excited to teach them and would hold them accountable.
I can see that tenure is important because we don’t want teachers fired when a new mayor comes in to town, but if it is too difficult to get rid of toxic teachers that is not good either. Merit pay/assessment seems like the way to go…but what do you base it on? Test scores? Then who wants to teach the special needs kids?
Where to find the balance?