Examines the case of Thompson v Southwest School District in which a teacher was dismissed for allegedly immoral behavior. The court found that the behavior did not have a deleterious impact on the teacher's ability to teach. (IRT)

Some of the complexities of ethical practice are discussed, along with an exploration of the necessity of following such practices when recommending the nonretention of a teacher. Questions for reflection on legal and ethical issues concerning teacher nonretention are presented. (SLD)

Central-office administrators can help counter principals' defeatist attitudes about teacher dismissal by communicating their values and standards, helping principals gain confidence, providing training, minimizing contractual restraints, and providing social and emotional support. Examining barriers to action from the principal's viewpoint is…

Describes how, at Southfield, Michigan's Lawrence Technological University, one professor is fighting an administration that he says keeps a hit list of enemies it wants to dismiss. (EV)

The Principal's Legal Handbook contains information and recommendations for practice in four areas. Section 1, "Students and the Law," yields interesting and informative answers on a number of issues related to students and the law: recent issues in schools relative to students' rights; the use of technology; and the latest case law and…

The Maryland edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the third annual look at state policies impacting the teaching profession. It is hoped that this report will help focus attention on areas where state policymakers can make changes that will have a positive impact on teacher…

The Interim Committee on Teacher Evaluation and Dismissal was established by (Colorado) Senate Joint Resolution 97-14 to study the state's teacher evaluation and dismissal laws and explore alternatives. The committee was directed to study the relationship between education reform and employment protections for teachers; the effectiveness of adding…

This paper summarizes a study designed to examine teachers' perceptions concerning possible employment termination and whether these perceptions differ according to primary teaching assignment. A random sample of 504 elementary, middle/junior high, and high school teachers was selected from 21 school districts in a southern state. Teachers were…

Secondary school administrators considering the termination of an employee prior to the expiration of contract are offered several suggestions. These are: have a good evaluation system in place; follow all phases of the evaluation system; document all conferences, observations, and other encounters; alert the superintendent early in the process;…

Discusses the case at the Polytechnic Institute of New York concerning the termination of Stuart R. McLeod's position on the faculty. (PG)

The primary objective of a school district's teacher evaluation system is to improve teachers' performance so they can become more successful and contribute to district goals. If the evaluation fails to produce this result, the teacher must be replaced either by resignation or termination. To provide support for the principal and help ensure fair…

RIF (reduction in force) refers to policies used when dismissals of tenured and probationary instructors are necessary because of a change in the size or nature of student population, inadequate finances, discontinuance of instruction areas, or district consolidation. (Author/PG)

Discusses three issues arising from the termination of tenured faculty on account of financial exigency: definition of exigency, how persons to be terminated are identified, and what their contractual and due process rights are. Makes suggestions for revising and clarifying tenure contracts in light of recent court cases. (JT)

Principals still are not differentiated from teachers under the law of many states, even though their duties and responsibilities differ. This situation has begun to change as a result of court action by principals at the state level, which is discussed in this paper. Although administrative tenure is rare, it presents special problems when…

This paper discusses court cases in which teachers allege constitutional violations of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The cases represent a struggle between those forces representing the authority of the board of education to govern public schools and those advocating the individual rights of teachers to continue their employment in…