Opinion: What works better than changing tenure laws? Treating teachers like professionals.

To the editor: Sadly, nobody wins in the state Supreme Court’s decision not to revisit a lower court ruling allowing teacher tenure rules to stand. Students and parents don’t get protection from having weak teachers, and educators in the classroom do not shed the burden of protecting their own, good or bad. (“In a major win for teachers unions, California Supreme Court lets teacher tenure ruling stand,” Aug. 23)

Isn’t it time to try something new? How about making teaching attractive to the brightest, most creative college students?

We could begin by raising starting salaries of novice teachers. Next, make their teacher preparation courses less lecture-oriented. Give young educators a collaborative laboratory approach of seeing good teachers teach and discussions of what makes a lesson good or bad. Have new teachers work with mentors on lessons. Give them ample opportunity to observe premier teachers.

Finally, make the decision on tenure a collaborative process that includes mentor teachers, parents and students. In fact, this process would work for all teachers.

Bob Bruesch, Rosemead

The writer, an inductee into the National Teachers Hall of Fame, is a member of the Garvey School District Board of Education.

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To the editor: Teachers deserve to have due process when their jobs are threatened by students, parents or administrators. To some extent, tenure protects the teacher from malicious lies, prejudice and scapegoating when they are blamed for everything from low test scores to low self-esteem.

Students and parents today are the most entitled and empowered groups, as shown by the Vergara teacher tenure case and the so-called parent trigger law. The next thing they will want is to be the ones who hire the teachers.

Teachers are leaving their jobs voluntarily because of stress, age discrimination and student misbehavior. Tenure does not protect teachers when their professional lives are made miserable by administrators who want them out.

Katherine Tripodes, San Marino

The writer is a retired teacher.

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