1) The abuses go both ways. That's why the need for tenure is in question in the first place. ......
One historic reason for tenure had to do with "radical/educated opinions". Mostly
this was the world of higher education where the teacher was the teacher and
perhaps an authority. Some cases of tenure they do batten down the hatches and
lock out new ideas -- i.e. tenure was and is the power base in higher education.
Today the teacher must teach to a syllabus and has little or no flexibility on content
or approach. Today we are seeing an astounding administrative and legislative pressures
to conform. There are external symptoms but it is rare or impossible for a parent
to invade the information and policy bubble that is K-12 education in Amerika...
One symptom is evident in the execution of zero tolerance policies. We see arrests
at public forums where a parent takes more than his permitted two minutes. We see
expulsion and arrest when a child draws a picture of a weapon or just points.
Hidden in all this is the reality that deviating from the prescribed plan is grounds for
termination despite what tenure implies. Contracts between the union and school
systems are extensive... one account on CNN noted a contract that was +1000 pages.
Note that in some parts of 'merica zero tolerance is code for intolerance in
how it is enforced by narrow arrogant minds. Try and converse with educators
and you get ignored or shut out.... it is perhaps the worst example of an
information bubble.... It is fueled by the likes of STEM and national standardized
tests. From time to time we hear of legislators defining Pi to be some silly
number.
The size and budget of the national education budget is astounding and
has almost no external audit control. Pay attention....