District in RI fires all the teachers at poor performing school

I love this story as it sends a very strong message to unionized teachers across the country.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/central_falls_trustees_vote_02-24-10_EOHI83C_v59.3c21342.html

In order to not be fired the teachers had to agree to a turnaround program: working 25 minutes more per day, eating lunch with kids one day a week, tutoring after school and taking 2 weeks of training in the summer. Of course the union wouldn't agree unless they were paid more. The district held their ground and terminated them all.

I would love to see this happen in Toledo. I can just imagine Fran Lawrence and her excuses if something similar were to arise here. The cost per student in Toledo is one of the highest in the region. There is no way their income tax levy will be approved as this town is sick of spending top dollar for horrible results.

I am happy that a democratic administration is not afraid to take a stand against the teachers union. If you remember the AFT originally supported Hillary. If she were elected I don't think a Clinton Secretary of Education would have been able to support such a move.

As we all struggle with wage freezes and benefit reductions I have lost any bit of sympathy of TPS teachers who get their years of service raise every year, get their continuing education paid for and have low healthcare out of pocket when tax payers are footing the bill.