As Trisha Howard looks into her planned future as a high school
teacher, she sees more obstacles in her way if Proposition 74
passes in a statewide special election on Nov. 8.
Proposition 74 would extend the trial period for teachers from
two years to five years, during which time they could be dismissed
if their performance deemed unsatisfactory, and would allow school
principals to fire veteran teachers as well.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has said this will improve the
quality of California’s teaching staff, which some believe
will go a long way toward eliminating some of the problems in the
state’s schools, such as poor standards of instruction.
Proponents of the proposition say lengthening the probation
period and giving districts the power to dismiss teachers with two
consecutive unsatisfactory evaluations would hold teachers to a
higher standard and make them continually prove they are
qualified.
But opponents believe the proposition would put further pressure
on educators and has made many teachers concerned about the
security of their careers.
Howard, a student in the Teacher Education Program at
UCLA’s School of Education, said she fears her outspoken role
in educational politics may cause her to lose her job.
She also said the increased probation period makes it more
difficult for other teachers who are politically active to have a
voice on educational issues.
“The school that I teach at is an under-performing school
in L.A. There are a lot of top-down changes that require political
activism from teachers on behalf of students,” Howard
said.
“We want better school conditions for kids, but (the
proposition) eliminates the ability for teachers to be able to be
politically active,” she continued. “It penalizes
teachers who want to make changes.”
The passage of Proposition 74 may cause Howard to look elsewhere
for a career in education.
“I’m worried that I will be one of those people who
will be tossed. I’ve already started thinking about making
alternative education-related career moves,” she said.
Howard teaches 10th- and 11th-graders at Dorsey High School in
downtown Los Angeles.
She explained that once a teacher is fired from a Los Angeles
Unified School District school, that teacher can no longer work
anywhere in the district.
“There are some administrators who are punitive about what
happens. They don’t want parents or media to become
involved,” Howard said.
“I agree with getting teachers who are bad out, but this
also punishes teachers who are good,” she said.
Teachers who completed their two-year probation in 2003 or 2004
will once again be placed under probation if the proposition is
passed.
Schwarzenegger has said that poorly performing teachers who have
passed their two-year trial period can have multiple unsatisfactory
evaluations but cannot be fired under the current system.
The governor said he does not believe anyone with unsatisfactory
performance should be given such a permanent job.
But Dale Martin, a spokeswoman for the California Teachers
Association, said legislators need to give more credit to public
school teachers.
“We already know that the number of teachers have lowered.
I think it is in part due to these kinds of things. People
aren’t treating teachers as professionals,” she
said.
Eloise Metcalfe, director of the Teacher Education Program, said
she believes there are more positive and effective ways the current
government can improve the quality of teachers in California
““ ways that do not include terminating their contracts.
“The (proposition) is focusing on the wrong end of the
teaching pathway. We need to have measures that focus on the
initial preparation of teachers and support for teachers,”
Metcalfe said.
Kim Merino, a first-year graduate student who is enrolled in
Teacher Education Program, opposes the proposition.
“It is a bad idea because the system of education puts a
lot of blame on teachers,” Merino said.
“What teachers really need is support, not a longer
probationary period,” she added.
Merino plans to become a teacher regardless of whether the
proposition goes through, but said she believes others may become
discouraged.
“There are more appreciative jobs out there that
won’t hold this five-year probationary period over me,”
she said.
Though there is a need for improvement in the quality of
California teachers, Steve Blazak, director of communications of
the United Teachers of Los Angeles, said the proposition is the
wrong approach.
“There are no due-process rights. The principal has a
great deal of power,” Blazak said.
“We’re afraid that principals will use it to silence
teachers of the way schools are being run, who are expressing their
opinion on classroom instructions. The principal could use this to
shut up teachers,” Blazak said.