Third in a series.
Re: “Unions Get Blamed, but Wrongly, Says Mielke”
Despite waves of harsh complaints to the contrary, most recently in this week’s Vergara vs. California state Supreme Court ruling, the Teachers Union president said his labor group is unfairly faulted “for this tenure business.”
“In reality,” said David Mielke, “all we teachers have is permanent status. This means (the School District) can fire me, but I kind of have my day in court.
“They get to say ‘Every time we have observed Mr. Mielke, he is showing Three Stooges’ videos.’
“I get up and try to defend myself. Then the decision would be upheld or not.
“All we have is due process,” said Mr. Mielke. “Vergara basically would have done away with that.”
Plaintiffs, in the form of poor and ethnic students, argued that teachers win tenure as fast as a finger-snap, 18 months, and that it is one step short of impossible – plus a years’ long process – to completely fire a teacher.
Had Vergara succeeded, Mr. Mielke said, “they could come in at anytime and say to me, ‘Dave, you have been here since 1979. But thanks very much. You no longer are needed.’
“We believe that employees of the public should have due process rights.”
(To be continued)
