LA teachers union will challenge layoff pact
The United Teachers Los Angeles union says that it will challenge a new proposal that would protest the worst performing schools from layoffs for budget reasons. The proposal would also have vacancies filled as quickly as possible, and would explore incentives for teachers and principals. Proponents of the proposal say that it will solve the problem of seniority motivated layoffs, and will help poorer schools keep on more young teachers. The teachers' union says that the agreement would leave low-performing schools with more inexperienced teachers, which would be detrimental to students in the long term. The proposal comes after the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California filed a lawsuit saying that the firings of younger teachers at lower performing schools was denying children their constitutional right to education. Two bills that would have eliminated seniority-based layoffs in California failed to pass this year.
See "LA teachers union will challenge layoff pact", Christina Hoag, The Washington Post, October 6, 2010