Significance of Tenure

Teachers cannot get fired if they have been teaching in the school for three or more years. Therefore, tenure is extremely significant to teachers of a public school.

To start, tenure encourages teachers to try and do a better job. If a teacher has tenure, it signifies that the teacher has been working hard for the past few years to gain this position. For the past three years, a teacher is constantly improving and learning from his or her mistakes. This encourages them to teach better now they have a permanent position. “Teachers who have tenure have gone through a vigorous learning process possess skills and know what students need. With tenure, they do not have to rewrite their resume every year.” (Lynn) Tenure also gives teachers a sense of security and know that they are protected.

“Another reason for the existence of tenure is that, in the realm of academic and intellectual pursuit, people may do better, higher quality work when they have job security than when they do not.” (Wikipedia) When possessing job security, teachers have the privilege to pursue topics they are more knowledgeable about. Therefore, the students gain more knowledge from the teacher and produce higher quality results. “Without tenure, scholars will generally attempt to measure what pursuits they are “supposed to follow”, and, in imitation of said guidelines, produce work of lower intellectual quality.” (Wikipedia)

Furthermore, tenure does not allow the dismissing of teachers who have been teaching in the school for more than three years. This allows teachers to continue improving and broaden their teaching experience if they ever wish to transfer to a new district. “If a teacher moves to a new district, tenure allows them to keep their credit.” (Lynn) If there is no tenure, teachers can be fired on the spot, disregarding whether or not they are doing a fine job.

“Without tenure, faculty members must, as a general rule, be dismissed after seven years of service, which means they must seek other academic employment or retreat from academic life.” (In Defense of Academic Tenure) “If there is no tenure, then other schools won’t allow teachers to stay for more than five years.” (Lynn)The only way for a teacher to lose their position is by a serious incompetence or doing an illegal activity.

Lastly, tenure allows a teacher to try and improve. “If a teacher is doing a so-so job, there are support systems to help the teacher improve.” (Lynn) Teaching is a learning process. There is always room for improvement. “We really try to do our best. I know that I am a better teacher than I was eight years ago. If we stop learning, then it’s time to retire.” (Lynn) Teachers have the opportunity to ask for assistance if it is ever needed.

If tenure did not exist in the world today, then teachers would not have many privileges. They would not be able to produce higher quality results, nor would they be able to do a great job at teaching. Now that there is tenure, teachers may not be sent away on the spot. They may also keep their teaching credit if they transfer to another school. In general, tenure is extremely important and valuable to a teacher.