Replying to A Teacher’s Two Cents

The article A Teacher’s Two Cents | StudentsFirst.org compelled me to reflect on a recent post.

I appreciate Bhavini Bhakta's complaint about her greatness not being enough to avoid getting laid off at the end of every year because of LIFO.

However, as long as schools employ unionized teachers, teachers meeting the requirements of their contract should be protected by LIFO, even if there is someone that has a higher evaluation.

Perhaps one day only great teachers will work without a contract, but until then I hope unions will continue to protect improving ones from those declared great.

Should Working to a Contract be Enough?

LIFO in Education

Ranking teachers based on performance would result in better teachers being laid off under LIFO.

I understand why that frustrates an administrator, and the teachers losing their jobs.

There is always someone that will come along and eventually be able to do a particular job better than someone else.

I don't want to see LIFO removed.  What I want to see is a contract that requires a certain level of performance that is acceptable, and as long as that is being achieved by a staff member, they should not fear losing their job because they are out performed.

While unfortunate the best player might be cut, the school will still have a winning team.

*LIFO (Last in first out = most recently hired is first to be fired.)