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Kerry stated:
"I believe that we need to offer teachers more pay, more training, more career choices and more options for education. And we must ask more in return. That's the bargain."
Kerry has been thinking about this for a long time. In 1998 he declared:
"We must end teacher tenure as we know it."
Tenure enables those who cannot teach stay on the job. Kerry thinks that
" ...no one can have a lock on the job forever... It's not fair to the teacher. It's not fair to other teachers. It's not fair to the parents. And of course, it's not fair to the children."
So Kerry proposes that the federal government give money to the states in order to:
- Toughen tests used to certify teachers
- Simplify the process for dismissing teachers
- Give pay increases of at least $5000 to teachers working in low income neighborhoods, or teaching math, science or other subjects suffering from teacher shortage
Education is the most important domestic need we face today. Education prepares our young people for citizenship. Education enables them to earn more money. Education is necessary to feed our economy and make it strong.
The teacher is the most important person in the education system. It is not the supervisory districts. It is not the school board. It is not the principal. Kids will not learn without good teachers. Bad teachers are worse than none.
Yes, Kerry wants to end teacher tenure as we know it. He wants to replace teacher tenure with teacher excellence.
