Teachers unions and D.C. teachers have been in a tizzy recently over the firings of 241 under performing and ineffective teachers. Surprisingly, all of this hoopla is over a contract signed by the unions just two months prior that gave Rhee the freedom to fire ineffective teachers in return for increased pay for effective ones. For great managers to be effective they need the ability to reward their hardest workers while cutting the dead-weight caused by poor performers. According to our 2008 report ?The Leadership Limbo? it's time for teachers to push for contracts that give managers more freedom:
Yes, teachers should be protected from management whimsy and, no, principals should not have unlimited authority. But now that your contracts have been exposed to light, isn't it time to accept a 21st century way of doing business? An Age of Teacher Professionalism could be at hand, but it won't happen without labor agreements that treat teachers as true professionals?and principals as true executives. Does anyone doubt that teachers in Austin or Fairfax County are treated more professionally today than those in Cleveland or Prince George's County? For the benefit of your membership, get on board the ?flexible? contract train.
Hopefully Rhee's recent success will usher in a new age of management, siphoning power back to the superintendents and principles and away from the teachers unions.
-Saul Spady, Fordham Intern