To the New York Sun, March 28, 2008

Mar 29, 2008 9:19 AM

To the Editor:

While I am honored by the Sun’s interest in my career plans, I want to set the record straight regarding your reference to Green Dot as a charter school operator that “bans traditional tenure” (“Weingarten May Soon Hold N.Y., National Union Jobs,” March 19).

Green Dot is actually the only charter school operator in the country that understands that a union and a contract help promote student success. That’s why the United Federation of Teachers and Green Dot are partnering to open a Green Dot charter school in New York City. The just-cause dismissal provision in the Green Dot contract provides a strong and fair adjudication process for both educators and administrators. That is what tenure was supposed to be all about. Indeed, whereas teachers in New York State have to complete a probationary period of three years of satisfactory service before receiving tenure – which simply guarantees a due process right to a hearing on disciplinary charges before dismissal – Green Dot educators have it from day one.

Randi Weingarten, President
United Federation of Teachers