Rules of tenure should change

Teachers have become convenient targets for the frustrations felt by taxpayers as it becomes more and more evident that taxes will be rising once the state budget is finalized in Hartford. Because of strong unions and a well-defined system of seniority and remuneration based on education and experience, public-school teachers have maintained their salary and benefit levels through the recession. This, of course, while others in the private sector have seen their own salaries and benefits diminish, or lost their jobs altogether. It’s a fact of human nature that if one sector of society seems protected while others are not, resentment will build and tempers will flare.Of course, there is no perfect protection for anyone. Budget cuts have meant layoffs in public education, and more will likely happen, for teachers in school districts across the state. This has brought up the issue of tenure as those most recently hired are the first fired when layoffs occur. For many longtime teachers, their years of experience mean that they’ve gained deeper knowledge of the best ways to teach. For others, however, too much time spent at the same job can mean burnout or boredom and an unfortunate holding pattern waiting for the time when they can retire and collect the pensions and benefits that are so much a part of their deals with the state.There are some who believe that teachers have cushy jobs anyway since the school day is generally shorter than many other professions’ work days and they have the summers off. Those who make such points, however, aren’t with teachers as they grade tests until midnight only to be up again with or before the sun to be at school, lesson plans prepared, in time to welcome students with supportive and cheerful demeanors. They aren’t with teachers as they worry about those students who for one reason or another are having a hard time keeping up with the demands of school or who have such challenging home lives that it is very difficult for them to concentrate on what’s being presented in the classroom. Good teachers, and there are plenty of them, put in many extra hours beyond classroom time to give their students more and better opportunities to grow.Teaching is not easy, and it is an extremely important part of society, preparing our children to enter the working world and live as citizens who make positive contributions to that world. Not everyone is cut out for it, since it requires endless patience and the ability to maintain enthusiasm for learning themselves as they inspire their students to want to continue to master new subjects at every stage of their educations. Even while acknowledging the importance and the challenges that are so intertwined with teaching, though, it must be admitted that it’s time to modify the system of tenure that gives all who are willing to stick it out the ability to stay on the job until retirement, whether they’re tired of seeing students every work day or not. Those who have taught for years and continue to grow and love teaching will not be affected detrimentally if there is more accountability in meeting standards of educating each new generation. Rather, they will simply set the bar higher for those who follow. It’s for the good of the students that the best teachers, younger and newer or older and more experienced, be there to guide them through their formative years. Those in education should be able to look at tenure objectively and make sure it’s meeting the needs of the clients of our educational system — that is, the students — not only the needs of those who teach them. Those who work in the private sector must constantly be accountable for their job performance and step down if they are no longer capable of meeting or exceeding agreed-upon standards. No less should be expected of those in public education.