Tenure & Racism

Tut, Tut. The Person Who Wrote This May Have Been Fired Due to Grammar!

From a reader:

I have a good friend who was let go from Lauderdale County. This was her 3rd year no complaints, this would have been her 4th year and tenure year. They let her go without a reason or anything just boom no job next year, no warning or anything, If a principal has that much power that all he has to do is let someone go, no wonder there are so many sex scandals in Lauderdale County!

And this is the principal's 2nd year if I understood right! So that means the principal can just build the school around him and his favorites and not what's best for the kids? I'm Just asking since I saw your article and it just doesn't seem fair to a teacher who puts so much into a place for someone to do something without a reason, or perhaps a personal reason.

First, we'll clarify that the figures used in yesterday's blog were for non-tenured teachers only. Second, to answer our reader's question: Yes, the BOE can fire any untenured teacher without cause. If any of the terminated teachers (or non-renewed teachers, if you prefer) want to take legal steps, that is up to them, but such cases are extremely hard to win.

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Posted in our Facebook comments:

“There are myriad reasons a teacher could be non-renewed, most of which include no wrongdoing.”
Some include:
- “Failure to conduct classroom management”
- Teaching and holding accountable failing students and then flunking them. Headcount and graduation rates = $$$
- Not a part of the “good ole boy clique”
- A non-acceptable W/L record
- Budgetary reasons.
- A relative of an employee about to graduate from “collage” with a teaching degree (a rarity now) who needs a slot; but that slot is filled.
- Sex with a stu....wait....that is swept under the rug now. Only after overwhelming evidence does that dirty laundry come to light...see UK Daily Mail.

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Just when we thought the saga of controversial museum director Brian W. Murphy was over, a citizen brought him up during the comment period of Tuesday's Florence City Council meeting, comparing him to Ferdinand Sannoner. Yes, we've heard at least one detractor rage against Murphy over his origins (Buffalo, New York); however, that's not the problem most have with the city employee.

This is the problem most have concerning Murphy's qualifications to run any city endeavor: