Michael Moore’s 2010 film, “Waiting for Superman,” illustrated that the ‘lemon dance’ continues to plague districts across the country. ‘The Lemon Dance’ refers to schools swapping their worst performing teachers at the end of the school year with another school’s lemon in hopes that he or she is not quite as bad. Some argue that it is time to throw away the rotten lemons and begin searching for more qualified and/or higher performing teachers. Due process is procedural enough in nature that removing poor teachers becomes as easy as making a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade! However, nothing in life is free. Due process often requires substantial funding and unpredictable costs that cannot always be measured using a cost-benefit analysis,
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In Illinois and New York, it reportedly costs more than $200,000 to remove a tenured teacher (Reeder, 20015). While this figure is higher than what is often found in the Midwest, there is still considerable cost in the region. Tom Mickes represents over 300 Missouri districts and is an attorney for Mickes, Goldman, O’Toole law firm. Mickes reports that a hearing can cost schools between $10,000-$15,000 in lawyer fees. If the case is taken to the circuit court, that school district can expect to pay an additional $5,000-$7,000. If the teacher seeks an appeal, it could then cost the district another $15,000. Clearly, this becomes quickly burdensome when districts across the country are facing budget cuts and financial …show more content…
One example of this is how much principal’s time and effort is being directed toward the removal of poor personnel. Principals are expected to evaluate teachers, provide detailed reviews, and remove ineffective ones. If the documentation is thorough and consistent, that brings the overall cost down. However, when substantial time and energy is taken away from other imperative administrative tasks, students ultimately suffer. Students also suffer when placed in classrooms with unsatisfactory, low-performing teachers. Then, the cost of hiring replacement personnel comes into play. Furthermore, costs to provide professional development to both probationary and new faculty must be taken into account. This quickly becomes a catasrophizing game where the costs begin to quickly
In Illinois and New York, it reportedly costs more than $200,000 to remove a tenured teacher (Reeder, 20015). While this figure is higher than what is often found in the Midwest, there is still considerable cost in the region. Tom Mickes represents over 300 Missouri districts and is an attorney for Mickes, Goldman, O’Toole law firm. Mickes reports that a hearing can cost schools between $10,000-$15,000 in lawyer fees. If the case is taken to the circuit court, that school district can expect to pay an additional $5,000-$7,000. If the teacher seeks an appeal, it could then cost the district another $15,000. Clearly, this becomes quickly burdensome when districts across the country are facing budget cuts and financial …show more content…
One example of this is how much principal’s time and effort is being directed toward the removal of poor personnel. Principals are expected to evaluate teachers, provide detailed reviews, and remove ineffective ones. If the documentation is thorough and consistent, that brings the overall cost down. However, when substantial time and energy is taken away from other imperative administrative tasks, students ultimately suffer. Students also suffer when placed in classrooms with unsatisfactory, low-performing teachers. Then, the cost of hiring replacement personnel comes into play. Furthermore, costs to provide professional development to both probationary and new faculty must be taken into account. This quickly becomes a catasrophizing game where the costs begin to quickly