The notion of so-called rubber rooms, areas for disciplined teachers to congregate and collect their full salary for lapses in judgment that would mean instant dismissal for private-sector employees, has outraged conservatives for years.
Teachers accused of major infractions including drug abuse and sexual assault are virtually guaranteed continued employment due to the stranglehold teachers’ unions have on America’s public education system.
In response to backlash from concerned citizens, the practice of placing trouble-teachers in these rubber rooms has been retooled in certain districts. While that might sound like a positive trend in removing bad instructors, the actual result is even more disturbing.
At the very least, teachers being paid to do nothing were not in front of students. As evidenced in one recent incident, teachers accused of unthinkable acts can simply be shuffled off to another school to influence another group of impressionable young minds.
While this practice rightfully disturbs those forced to expose their children to the possibility of immoral or illegal activities, the teachers formerly confined to rubber rooms seem to be the most upset by the change. In New York, many of these teachers have gone so far as to file grievances about receiving new, less-than-ideal assignments.
The parents of a Washington state student allegedly assaulted by his teacher were understandably up in arms when administrators reacted by merely transferring the teacher to a different school. The allegations against this teacher were far from tenuous, considering the entire incident was captured on video.
Allegedly leading the 13-year-old’s classmates in a relentless attack, the teacher reportedly poked and humiliated the child while other students stacked chairs on him, shoved socks in his mouth, and covered his face with a pillow. Once again, this was all captured on video.
Whether because of ineptitude or corruption, employees in any sector must know they can be replaced. Of all possible professions to guarantee continued employment, those tasked with shaping the next generation’s perception of the world should be at the bottom of the list. Unfortunately, when leftist unions are involved, things are rarely as they should be.
B. Christopher Agee founded The Informed Conservative in 2011. Follow him on Twitter @bcagee.
Photo Credit: kjarrett
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This is just another reason that the educational system should be taken out of the federal government and put back to the local government or states. I no longer have any admiration for the school adm or the teachers, with the exception of a very few. Well the dems say we should spend more money. I say why should be get anything, as we have so many kids coming out of high school who really can’t read. Does that sound like something I want to invest more of my money in. We spend so much money building these elaborate school and look how far down we are rated in the industrialized countries. Not a very good record if you ask me. And no teacher should ever be given tenure. In fact no one should, if you aren’t cutting the mustard you need to go.
get rid of tenure, it’s nothing but a scam to keep the garbage, get rid of the teachers unions, the townships and teachers can be fair without the unions, the unions ask for rediculous compensation packages and salarys the school districts can’t afford, they get compensensated very well for the majority of the teachers only work 9 months out of the year
Spineless administrators afraid of their crooked unions……not until somebody with intestinal fortitude is in charge will this ever change. Just keep passing incompetent teachers along to another school…who cares about the kids?? The unions are more important…power, money and a bunch of sheep paying into their coffers!!! Keep the money coming in by “representing” bad teachers. Vote Romney/Ryan in NOVEMBER!!
Get an attorney and sue the hell out of the School Board, the School, the principal, the teacher and the teacher’s union. Somewhere along the line, when the dollars begin to add up on students, parents behalf and the schools and school boards take those big financial hits–you’ll see big changes in local, state governments toleration for teacher unions. Hit’em IN THEIR POCKETS, that’s the only place that counts in today’s society.
What I’d like to know… is why do they NOT post him/her Picture so everyone can see it. That would hack the teacher more than anything.