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The Effects of the Tenure System on our SchoolsBY: Guest User | Category: Education | Submitted: 2010-02-17 09:43:29
"She's not going anywhere. She just earned tenure." Tenure. The term can either elicit a wave of relief or a shudder of fear depending on who hears it. For those who are teachers in college or university settings, it is a hard-earned status that gives them a sense of freedom and stability in their job. For those outside of the professional educational system, tenure can bring to mind an entrenched academic who can do whatever he/she pleases. The term "tenure" refers to a contract that is made between an academic institution and a teacher that ensures the teacher will not be laid off or fired without just cause after the teacher has been employed for a certain length of time. The concept of tenure was originally designed to give teachers freedom from being unjustly fired or laid off. In a profession that requires staff to speak so often, there is fear that staffing decisions will be made not on the merits of the individual, but on his/her political beliefs. Similarly, it gives teachers a chance to speak their minds on controversial issues and teach on subjects that might stray from the norm or be unpopular. Tenure also helps to strengthen the academics of a university because it allows more established teachers to mentor and develop newer teachers without fear of losing their jobs to them. Similarly, it encourages teachers to remain with the same institution for a long period of time. Tenure as a general system has become unpopular to many people, though. Once a teacher reaches tenure, it becomes extremely difficult to fire him/her. For teachers who are committed to their position and who are morally upstanding, this isn't an issue. Where it does become an issue is when a teacher becomes lackadaisical in his/her position or doesn't find it necessary to continue his/her own education. Every subject changes over time as new discoveries are made, new theories are postulated, or new branches of study are developed. Teachers at every level need to keep themselves aware of and educated in these new areas in order to adequately teach their students. When a teacher reaches tenure, he/she may have less motivation to take the time and effort to learn these new areas. Tenure can also have a political effect on a school; those teachers who have reached tenure may not be as committed to maintaining the quality of the school. As such, their influence in academia may be used solely for their own benefit instead of for the benefit of the students, their colleagues, and the community. With benefits and drawbacks on both sides, it is difficult to find a solution that will address both of the main stakeholders. The tenure system is so entrenched in our educational system that it may be impossible to remove it at this point, but there are solutions that have been posited to improve the tenure system. Some school systems (including college, university, and secondary schools) have begun hiring new teachers without any promise of tenure. This tactic is especially useful during difficult economic times when many people are looking for jobs and hiring offices are flooded with resumes. Article Source: http://www.writearticles.org/ About Author / Additional Info: Comments on this article: (0 comments so far)
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