Ernie Tetrault in his letter ("Right to fire helps school prosper," July 26) engages in some misinformed teacher-bashing.
He first states the problems of our schools could be solved if only the schools could fire bad teachers. He further states, because of tenure, it is almost impossible to fire bad teachers. He then lauds The Harlem Village Academies, a New York City charter school that chooses students by lottery, because it is free to hire and fire teachers at will.
A little more nuanced view of Harlem Village Academies is in order:
According to its New York State School Report Card for the year 2007-08, only 46 sixth-graders were recorded, a 30 percent drop from the 66 fifth-graders the year before. Similarly, only 31 eighth-graders were recorded, a 26 percent drop from the 42 seventh-graders the year before. In that same report card, the school also reported that it had suspended 87 out of 233 elementary students. Meanwhile, according to a February 2010 New York Public School Parents publication, nearby New York Public School 210 suspended 10 out of 257 students.
My take: Not all students can carry through with the school's exacting demands so it merely lets them go, and that very little slack is given for violations of school policy. Public schools cannot, of course, merely let elementary students go. Suspending a large number of students is not acceptable to the parents or the community.
According to greatschools.com, parents of Harlem Village Academies are asked to participate in their children's education, including making sure homework is kept up; they also must ensure children arrive well-rested and in full uniform. Public school parents may be actively involved or not; and what children wear can vary from school to school and day-to-day.
No one wants bad teachers in our schools, but just being able to fire them or abolishing tenure is not the panacea that will transform our schools and lead to success for all students any more than is Harlem Village Academies.
KENNETH R. MURRAY
East Schodack