PATRIOT-NEWS: …When school boards and district administrators in Pennsylvania must cut teachers, as many are doing right now as they are forced to slash programs related to state budget cuts, they are not able to take into consideration a teacher’s performance or the impact that instructor has had on students when they make their decisions.
As it stands, districts are even hard-pressed to cut teachers because of the current economy. As part of a long list of state mandates school districts face, they can only furlough teachers based on certain scenarios: a decrease in student enrollment; a program changes because of a decline in enrollment or to conform with educational standards; a school district reorganizes; or the unlikely event of school district consolidation.
Advocates of giving districts more flexibility when they are forced to furlough staff have been working with legislators to allow districts to lay off teachers strictly for economic reasons. But a Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon County, that would do just that was unfortunately amended to include language that districts must let teachers go strictly based on their seniority unless they have had two unsatisfactory performance reviews and an opportunity to complete a performance improvement plan. It’s a process that could take years and completely undercuts the goal of creating more flexibility and focus on retaining top teachers. .. (more)
EDITOR: Seniority does protect union members from discrimination because of their collective bargaining efforts and stances There needs to be some safeguards against discrimination as part of changing the practice…
