StarTribune Editorial Board
“Minnesotans generally reject the notion that seniority should be the sole factor in determining whether to retain teachers during layoffs. Polls taken during the past several years show that up to 80 percent of state residents agree that educator effectiveness should be considered in layoff and termination decisions.”
By Christopher Magan | Twin Cities Pioneer Press
“Attorneys for parents who are challenging Minnesota’s teachers union protections have asked the state Court of Appeals to overturn a judge’s October decision to throw out their case.
St. Paul mother Roxanne Draughn and three other parents filed a lawsuit last April alleging that teacher tenure and other union rules protect bad teachers and exacerbate the state’s academic achievement gap between poor and minority students and their peers.”
By Laura Waters | NJ Left Behind
“According to a press release issued today by Partnership for Educational Justice, ‘Newark’s answer includes admissions that overwhelmingly concede the allegations put forward by the plaintiffs. This filing is significant for two reasons: 1) the district admits that New Jersey’s LIFO law causes harm to students and 2) these admissions undermine the credibility of motions to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the teachers’ unions, who intervened as defendants in the case in December 2016.'”
By Beatrice Dupuy | StarTribune
“Four plaintiffs filed an appeal Thursday in their fight to challenge Minnesota’s teacher tenure laws.
A judge rejected their suit in October but the parents are back to assert that state laws are protecting ineffective teachers and violating students’ rights by keeping low-income and minority students from attaining a quality education.”
By Christopher Magan | St. Paul Pioneer Press
“ST. PAUL — The Minnesota House will debate legislation Thursday that could give local school leaders more control over which teachers get cut when budgets are tight or when student enrollment drops.
The legislation — Rep. Jenifer Loon, R-Eden Prairie, is its chief sponsor — aims to limit the role seniority plays when layoffs occur.
Republicans have long wanted school leaders to consider other factors when making staffing decisions, but those efforts have largely been blocked by Democrats.”
By Thomas Toch | Future Ed
“For most of public education’s history, teacher evaluation was an after-thought. Despite the centrality of teachers to the education enterprise and the fact that taxpayers spend a fortune on public school teacher compensation and benefits (today, upwards of half a trillion dollars), the standard evaluation model was a quick classroom check-in once a year by a principal looking for clean classrooms and quiet kids—things that didn’t directly capture the quality of teaching, much less student learning.”
NJTV News
‘The NJEA wants to dismiss a lawsuit that would end last in, first out layoff rules for teachers when districts must make budget cuts. In a lawsuit, six Newark parents say experience and performance should count more than seniority and tenure. The Partnership for Educational Justice supports this lawsuit. Executive Director Ralia Polechronis sat down with NJTV News Correspondent Michael Hill to talk about this.’
By Nahlee Smith | Insider NJ
“Last November I joined five other Newark women in a fight for our kids’ education. While we all come from different backgrounds and families, we have two important things in common – we are not satisfied with our City’s public schools and we are tired of being ignored.
I know that there are caring and effective teachers in Newark public schools, but for me, their hard work was overshadowed after an incident involving my youngest son. One day, he ran home after school, burst into the house and was in tears about six words that would forever change me. He showed me a picture he drew in class and said, “my teacher said this looked stupid.” While I would later learn that I was not alone – that many Newarkers share heartbreaking stories like this – I will never forget the pain, frustration, and loneliness I felt listening to my child.”
By Karen Yi | NJ.com
“NEWARK — One of the leading voices fighting to dismantle New Jersey’s teacher layoff law that protects tenured workers is amplifying its message amid Newark public schools’ looming $30 million budget gap.
The Partnership for Educational Justice organized the lawsuit filed by six Newark parents last year challenging the rule that requires layoffs be based on seniority instead of performance. On Wednesday, the PEJ released a short animated video targeting its message to parents.
‘This law is hurting kids at a constitutional level,’ said Ralia Polechronis, executive director of PEJ. ‘The issue is very timely … and critical for this coming school year.'”
By Victor Skinner | EAGNews.org
“NEWARK, N.J. – Newark parents want the state to do away with union seniority rules when schools are required to layoff teachers to balance the budget, and they’ve produced a video to explain why.
The Partnership for Educational Justice sued the state last year on behalf of six Newark parents who are concerned about how union rules impact the quality of education in the district, and the video – ‘New Jersey’s Harmful Teacher Layoff Law’ – puts the issue into perspective for parents.”