First in a series
Nancy Goldberg, one of the most popular teachers in the history of Culver City High School, said Sunday she believes teacher tenure – this week’s topic du jour – “is given too quickly.”
She started in 1970, and had to wait three years to gain tenure.
Once granted, it still could be nervous time for teachers in Ms. Goldberg’s era.
“There was a kind of probationary period, at least in Culver City schools, although it was not official,” she said.
“Officially, the probationary period was three years. But all of us knew that within the first year after getting tenure, if we didn’t keep our noses clean, if we did something dramatically different, or if we didn’t participate as we were supposed to…” and Ms. Goldberg’s voice trailed off.
“There is an unwritten law that when you work with students, you have a moral obligation to interact with them on more than just the class level,” she said.
“You have to sponsor clubs, for example.
“Usually, you want to do it. I always did.
“But for some teachers, this is too high of an involvement.
“We don’t have those kinds of teachers, though, in Culver City.”
“The big complaint is that tenure can be gotten, at least in Callifornia, in such a short time,” Ms. Goldberg said.
California, with arguably the strongest union representation in the country, is one of five states that awards tenure in two years or less.
Forty-one states insist on three years
Florida, and reportedly three other states, do not offer tenure.
When Rolf Treu – now the most infamous/famous Superior Court judge in the country – ruled last week that California’s short-cut teacher tenure law is unconstitutional, the first response from both sides was that a stick of dynamite would be thrown at the contentious rule.
No need for that, says Ms. Goldberg, these days a School Board member after 41 seasons as a schoolmarm. “I am under the impression the tenure law just needs mending rather than being eliminated,” Ms. Goldberg said.
She favors a three- or four-year period before tenure is granted “with specific stipulations.
“Give teachers the opportunity to assist other teachers. When they final did peer review in the mid-1980s, I began to feel a great deal more confident. I spoke with my colleagues, and I had an understanding that we would exchange strategies and support.
“It really made a difference.”
(To be continued)
