You bet your LIFO

02-04-2011

Blog by Nancy Flanagan/Education Week

So, more harangues about last-in/first-out (LIFO) policies, tenure due process, seniority and how much fun Joel Klein had firing teachers. Do veteran teachers need protection against unfair dismissal? Some--to ensure that we keep the good ones? Or none at all? And who are the good ones? In my experience, one parent's genius teacher who finally tapped little Tyler's passion for writing is another parent's weirdo with a ponytail. Back in the 80s, a downturn in the auto industry forced many families in my district to leave the community. Enrollment dropped. The district had too many teachers. We had a RIF--a reduction in force, resulting in a process familiar to anyone who's taught under a union contract: bumping. The middle school physical education teacher was bumped into a high school chemistry slot (because she minored in general science). The promising third-year chemistry teacher was laid off. (more...)

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You bet your LIFO

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