Letters to the Editor
Tenure victory was crucial
Apr 24, 2008 12:41 PM
To the Editor,
The action by the state Legislature to protect tenure rights by voting that “the teacher shall not be granted or denied tenure based on student performance data” is one of the most important victories for teachers, pupils and public education that we have ever achieved.
We accomplished a great victory not only because of our political clout but also because we have taken the right position on the substance.
As teachers we have always known that pupil test scores result from many different factors. It is a very complex matter that must not be simplified, which the chancellor and mayor wanted to do.
Protecting tenure as we know it is very basic to protecting public education as well as our democratic way of life. Tenure, which means the right to due process, is too important to have a very simplistic notion as to what it is all about.
Abe Levine, retired
