WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Editorial: Fair Dismissal

Editorial: Fair Dismissal

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By Collin Gaston - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident. The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments:

  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"

  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five

  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

Last week the Alabama Legislature passed and Governor Bentley signed into law the "Students First" Tenure and Fair Dismissal Reform Act.

This new law preserves tenure protection for teachers while giving local school systems the authority to fire ineffective teachers and problem employees for justifiable causes.

Proponents of the new law say it removes the costly and time-consuming federal arbitration process for termination appeals. Under the law, retired judges would hear the appeal, and an employee's pay would continue for a maximum of 75 days during the review. This law would prevent long drawn out proceedings that drain local school boards budgets at a time when they are at critical lows.

To be clear, the goal is not to speed up the removal process of bad teachers or school employees to save money but to speed up the process to improve the educational environment for our children. Laws should be in place to protect the hardworking dedicated teachers of Alabama and quickly show to the door those who are not committed to the highest standards in teaching. Any law that allows for the quick and expeditious removal of underperforming employees should be supported especially when our children are involved.

We welcome your feedback.

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