Should teachers have tenure?

United States
April 1, 2007 9:40pm CST
I have thought about this question quite a bit. As a teacher, you would think that I would like tenure. After all, it is job security at its best, right? Well, actually I don't feel this way. I feel that we should not have tenure. I have seen some horrible teachers who have tenure. It is virtually impossible to lay them off. They have so many unions backing them up it is almost not worth trying. As a newer teacher, I know that I bust my butt more than some tenure teachers simply because I am still learning and take my job very seriously. Now, I am not saying there aren't great tenured teachers out there. Of course there are. What I am saying is that perhaps tenure needs to be revamped a bit. It protects too many teachers that don't really try that hard. Administrators know it too. They are often too hard on new teachers letting some good ones go because they are good but not great. Well, it is hard to be great your first year. It takes time to learn the craft. But, administrators don't have much time and are afraid to let them slide through and get tenure when they might now deserve it. So, unless they are superb right off the bat, they let them go. What is your opinion?
1 person likes this
2 responses
• United States
2 Apr 07
I'm also a teacher and I totally agree with you. Teachers shouldn't have tenure. You see, I have doubts about the educational system. I think it's best to look into all the factors that affect the way students learn, and that would also include looking into the capacities and willingness of the teachers to teach. I believe that teaching is a life-long commitment, but the problem is I have encountered many (of course not all) senior teachers who have tenure but aren't really committed. They have become so secure in their position (with the feeling of indispensability). There are many good younger teachers with a lot more to offer, honestly speaking. Thanks for this discussion!
• United States
2 Apr 07
Thanks for your comment and I totally agree. This discussion sparked from some teachers that I know that are so secure in their job that they don't care how effective they are. They break the rules all the time and always seem to get away with it. In the meantime, me and several other newer teachers work out butts off, spend way too much out of pocket, seem more effective for less than half as much. Thanks for your input!
@Writerbob (572)
• United States
2 Apr 07
Nope, and I'm an ex-teacher. The best ones are those in the game for 3-8 years, the worst almost always 20+ years, and of course this same system pays these double what the great young ones make. It's not about age either - I didn't start teaching 'til my late '30's, it's about attitude and it's rare that older teachers aren't burned-out, and it shows in their demeanor.
• United States
2 Apr 07
I agree with you. I too didn't start teaching until this year and I am 34. I see teachers who have tenure that work half as hard and half as much. They make 5 times the money and don't have a good rapport with their students. Yes, it is about attitude and some teachers may need to rethink theirs!