Michelle Rhee is smiling.

[Android3.14]

106. Misunderstanding

Who said tenure makes a teacher bad? Certainly not I. I said that LIFO, in the form of tenure perhaps, protects bad teachers as well as good teachers.
I've also taught math and science in public schools, secondary and as college adjunct, for 8 years, in four different districts, on the northern and southern borders of the U.S.. We moved a great deal in order to follow Mrs. 'Droid's career. Each time, I had to start over with the local union to wait out my two years before I would receive any support, and each time, a RIF occurred and I was booted.
I love teachers. I love teaching. If I had any indication that our public system would allow me to actually teach, I'd leap back into it.
My criticism of LIFO is specific on two points. It throws good newly minted teachers under the bus when a RIF occurs, and it protects the few bad teachers for the simple reason that they have seniority.
I recommend that teacher unions start behaving like professional guilds in which the organization determines their standards, and their fees for service (salary). If a member of the union undermines the fees or is unable to meet the standards, then the union should boot them. Unions should also take on the states that make it illegal to strike. I'd also recommend the union determine what is acceptable behavior from their clients and refuse to serve students who misbehave to the point that they disrupt other students' learning.
I believe, in a RIF, the determination for termination should include more than seniority.