The IEA leadership takes on another challenge: That pesky term, “tenure rights.”
As I reported, the IEA Board of Directors was engaged in a series of discussions a few weeks back. The discussions were about “challenging issues” and at least three of the issues on the list ought to raise the eyebrows of even the most loyal fan of the present leadership.
I was given a copy of the challenging issues paper and the rules by which they would be discussed.
Here we have the poorly written protocols for the discussion:
“In considering these statement please be prepared after your discussion to answer the following questions:
Leaning yes or Leaning No to either leading the effort which may mean proposing legislation (but could be something else) or supporting others’ efforts who may lead on the issue.
If yes, why yes. Tell us what we would have to be included in the effort and what would be some risks, or consequences of our participation.
If no, why no. Tell us what are the risks or consequences of saying no.”
Some may ask, “What is wrong with having a discussion about issues?”
In all my years as a local president and negotiator, I have never engaged in a discussion among our negotiators and local leaders over the pros and cons of giving away the rights we have already won.
I’m sure some folks have. But it had to have been at a point of desperation and weakness. Is that where we are in the view of our leaders?
And are our members pleased that our leaders were discussing challenging issue #3?
“Streamline dismissal processes in return for due process and just cause for all employees and dropping the term tenure.”
I remember the days when our IEA was spending its time organizing about the issue of teacher retention.
Now, our leadership has bought into the Reformy notion that the problem is that not enough teachers are being fired.
Tenure isn’t just a term. Tenure is a right guaranteed by law.
What is “just cause?”
I only know it as a term used by many charter schools that have refused to agree to tenure rights and seniority.
What does it mean? Not much or hard to tell.
But we do know what tenure means. It doesn’t have to be exchanged for due process. Tenure already includes due process.
Illinois’ tenure laws exist throughout the state, at New Trier on the north shore and in Edwardsville downstate.
Our union ought to be pointing out that there is no correlation between tenure and poor student performance. Tenure exists to make sure that good teachers aren’t dismissed by vindictive or ignorant administrators.
It is nothing short of crazy that our Board of teachers spent time discussing the pros and cons of how to speed up the firing of teachers.
Tomorrow: What are the pros and cons of doing away with seniority? Another challenging issue in the mind of Ken Swanson.
