Do Kids Need Good Teachers, or Teachers with Seniority?

Tom Mitchell of the RJ raised an excellent point in his blog last week: If we really care about the interests of the children in our classrooms, why, when it comes to layoffs, do we lay off the teachers with the least seniority even though they might be better teachers with newer ideas and fresher perspectives? Why don’t we instead lay off ineffective teachers who might just be coasting along waiting for retirement?

Because of the powerful teachers union which only cares about its members and its bank account and doesn’t give a damn about the kids, that’s why.