Another post about Green Dot and tenure.

2007 May 29
by preaprez

My daughter Leigh is going to kill me for putting another post up here without a graphic. She hates when I do that and I have been doing that a lot since I moved over to WordPress.

I’m sorry Leigh. I’ll try and do better next time.

I questioned Leo Casey, who posts frequently on the AFT blog EdWize, about the seeming contradiction between Green Dot’s web site claim that they do not honor tenure and seniority rights and Casey’s claim that teachers at Green Dot schools actually have better tenure rights than teachers at regular LAUSD and UTLA represented schools.

I haven’t received a clear and definitive answer about this. But “Ken” comments on EdWize on this issue:

Hey Leo,
Thanks for focusing on this issue.
I agree that these debates can get confused by terminology.
I reviewed the Green Dot contract and I would make a few points:
1. The contract only refers to dismissal in one sentence: “No unit member shall be disciplined, non-renewed, dismissed, reduced in rank or compensation without just cause.”
2. “Just Cause” is not defined in the contract best I can tell.
3. The section on due process is called “Conflict Resolution”. It doesn’t mention dismissal explicitly but I think it is fair to suggest it would be covered by this section.
4. I think the contract is somewhat vague on the issue, but my reading suggests that a teacher can be dismissed as long as the administration believes there is “just cause”. The teacher could than appeal that decision based on the “Conflict Resolution” process. This process is time-limited such that it can’t last more than about 100 days.
5. This process seems like a reasonable one to me. Many people (like me) hear tons of complaints that the NYC process is a disaster and extremely complicated. Are you suggesting that you would be comfortable with the Green Dot process?
6. I plan (if possible) on chatting with Green Dot to get some clarification about the current contract with respect to this issue.
7. Please correct me where you think I made mistakes in my facts or analysis. I have only done a little work on this.
Ken

from → Charter schools, teacher union

2 Responses leave one →
  1. 2007 May 31
    leocasey permalink

    Fred:

    Take a look at my reply..

    Leo

  2. 2007 May 31
    preaprez permalink

    Thanks Leo.
    It was not my intention to omit your response and I am glad to post it here.
    But in all these comments and cross comments and in spite of all that I have learned from them (which has been plenty), the question I asked at the beginning has not been answered.
    Green Dot’s web site says they do not honor tenure (which I understand to be the requirement of “just cause”) and your assertion that tenure rights at Green Dot schools are better than in NYC schools seem to contradict.
    -Fred

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