The Day I Received Teacher Tenure
After school ended today, I became a tenured teacher.
For three years and one day, I worked as a non-tenured teacher. Now, for as long as I continue teaching in my school district, I'll be tenured. Here's what that means:
For three years and one day, my work was subject to part a of Alaska statute § 14.20.175:
Yes, at the end of every year of teaching, for three years, I faced the prospect of being "nonretained" due to "any cause that the employer determines to be adequate." In other words, I could have been let go for any reason, or no reason at all. If I made enough of a fuss, I could be given an official statement of the reason I was let go, but nothing more.
Now, with tenure, my work will be subject to part b of § 14.20.175:
Now I can be let go from my teaching only when I break the law or fail to live up to expectations after going through a plan to improve my work. In other words, I can be fired for the meaningful, substantive reasons that should be the reasons anyone gets fired from their profession.
For three years, I poured my heart and soul into teaching, with no assurance I'd be allowed to come back the next year. Despite excellent evaluations from my supervisors, I could have no expectation of keeping my job until contracts were offered to non-tenured staff at the very end of the school year. The looming possibility of losing my job—for any reason—while I was non-tenured did absolutely nothing to push me to be a better teacher. If anything, it was extremely discouraging that I could do great work but still be let go if it was convenient for my school district.
Now that I'm tenured, I feel far more freedom—not freedom to sink into indolence and become a horrible teacher, but freedom to devote myself even more to my vocation, assured by the knowledge that I won't lose my job unless I do something legitimately wrong.
Tenure isn't a bad word. It's not outdated, it's not inconvenient, and it does nothing to harm students. On the contrary, teachers protected by tenure are more able to devote themselves to their work, secure in positions where they can continue helping students for years to come. Tenure is something teachers deserve—the sooner, the better—because teachers deserve protection from arbitrary termination, just like every professional in our society.
After school ended today, I became a tenured teacher. In that moment, nothing changed about how passionately I love teaching, and nothing changed about how hard I will keep working at my profession. All that changed is that my work now has the legal protections that every profession deserves.
For three years and one day, I worked as a non-tenured teacher. Now, for as long as I continue teaching in my school district, I'll be tenured. Here's what that means:
For three years and one day, my work was subject to part a of Alaska statute § 14.20.175:
A teacher who has not acquired tenure rights is subject to nonretention for the school year following the expiration of the teacher's contract for any cause that the employer determines to be adequate.
Yes, at the end of every year of teaching, for three years, I faced the prospect of being "nonretained" due to "any cause that the employer determines to be adequate." In other words, I could have been let go for any reason, or no reason at all. If I made enough of a fuss, I could be given an official statement of the reason I was let go, but nothing more.
Now, with tenure, my work will be subject to part b of § 14.20.175:
Now I can be let go from my teaching only when I break the law or fail to live up to expectations after going through a plan to improve my work. In other words, I can be fired for the meaningful, substantive reasons that should be the reasons anyone gets fired from their profession.
For three years, I poured my heart and soul into teaching, with no assurance I'd be allowed to come back the next year. Despite excellent evaluations from my supervisors, I could have no expectation of keeping my job until contracts were offered to non-tenured staff at the very end of the school year. The looming possibility of losing my job—for any reason—while I was non-tenured did absolutely nothing to push me to be a better teacher. If anything, it was extremely discouraging that I could do great work but still be let go if it was convenient for my school district.
Now that I'm tenured, I feel far more freedom—not freedom to sink into indolence and become a horrible teacher, but freedom to devote myself even more to my vocation, assured by the knowledge that I won't lose my job unless I do something legitimately wrong.
Tenure isn't a bad word. It's not outdated, it's not inconvenient, and it does nothing to harm students. On the contrary, teachers protected by tenure are more able to devote themselves to their work, secure in positions where they can continue helping students for years to come. Tenure is something teachers deserve—the sooner, the better—because teachers deserve protection from arbitrary termination, just like every professional in our society.
After school ended today, I became a tenured teacher. In that moment, nothing changed about how passionately I love teaching, and nothing changed about how hard I will keep working at my profession. All that changed is that my work now has the legal protections that every profession deserves.
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