In today’s Wall Street Journal, the National Education Association teachers union has decided to loosen their rules that places experienced and high quality teachers in better performing schools rather than underperforming ones.
“In written testimony given to the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee Wednesday, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said the 3.2 million-member union wants its local affiliates to eliminate restrictive contract language by entering into “memorandums of understanding” with their districts. Mr. Van Roekel testified that “we cannot cover up the fact that too often schools with the greatest needs are filled with the most inexperienced and least skilled teachers.”
Hopefully this change will be effective step in placing high quality teachers in underperforming neighborhoods and schools. There should however, be a caliber that all teachers are held accountable for and failing teachers should not be allowed to continue teaching our youth.
Wary to this announcement, Chester Finn, president of the Thomas B. Fordman Institute stated:
“Some were cautious about the potential impact of the NEA’s announcement, saying that will depend on the response of local unions, who haven’t been fully briefed. “I will be a little surprised if any locals allow districts to assign teachers willy-nilly”
Let’s hope that this announcement will be a kick-start in improving our schools, for our children’s sake.