This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I was disheartened to read The Salt Lake Tribune's endorsement of the state Board of Education's decision to work with the Legislature on ending Utah's "tenure" system ("Teacher tenure: Underachievers should be dismissed," Our View, Sept. 14). Both the decision and the editorial insinuate that substandard teaching is widespread in Utah. As an educator, I assure you it is not.
We teachers dedicate our time and expertise, well beyond paid contract time, to provide a high-quality education. In return, we expect a basic level of respect from the public we serve.
As with any profession, there are bad apples; however, they are the exception. Systems already exist to rid schools of failing educators. We receive ongoing evaluations of the quality of our work. It isn't necessary to demoralize us with proposals that rob us of job security.
Anyone who criticizes public educators should walk a mile in our shoes. Do what we do for an academic year and you will appreciate what the job requires. Career school administrators should return to the classroom periodically to remind themselves what it takes to provide students a solid education. Such reality checks would temper assertions that educators don't give taxpayers their due.
Angela Brickey
Salt Lake City