Teachers say scrapping seniority shows "disrespect" for educators

Teachers are furious about Monday's  decision by the Philadelphia School District to stop using teacher seniority as the only factor in hiring decisions. They say it will give administrators too much power.

The  Caucus of Working Educators issued a statement saying the School Reform Commission and Superintendent William Hite have shown "disregard and disrespect for educators."

“Work rules,” far from being the barrier to achievement that Dr. Hite would like people to believe they are, actually strengthen our ability to advocate for our students and ourselves without fear of unfair reprisals that can occur when administrators are given free reign. Due process assures teachers not that they are beyond reach, but that a standard protocol must be followed for hiring and firing. All workers deserve this assurance in regards to their employment, and if that process is to be functional, it needs to be negotiated, not imposed.

The tersely worded blog post even says SRC Chairman Bill Green's loyalty is not the children of Philadelphia, but to Gov. Tom Corbett. It went on to say that the SRC and School District actions are "laying the legal foundation for sweeping changes" for the future.

They may be leading with seniority now, but we should be aware of the dangers this legal action poses to a whole range of work rules that protect student learning in even more obvious ways, including class size, curriculum decisions, time for planning quality lessons, school safety issues and teacher assignment. 

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal