Every teacher deserves to be treated with fairness and respect. On the latest episode of CEA’s podcast Glastonbury Education Association President Kristen Basiaga and 2020 Connecticut Teacher of the Year and Woodland Regional High teacher Meghan Hatch-Geary talk with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about proposals before the legislature that would ensure a fair process for educators.
Per Connecticut statute, teachers who are facing termination are entitled to a hearing before a neutral hearing officer, but this officer’s decision is only a recommendation to the local board of education. Unlike for other school employees, it is the board of education, not a neutral third party, who makes the final decision in the event of an appeal. For educators, the threat of arbitrary treatment creates a climate of fear that Basiaga and Hatch-Geary say colors the entire teaching environment.
“Even if you’ve worked your four years to achieve tenure, the district has renewed your contract, you’ve been shown to be a good teacher, you finished TEAM, you went through with all these credentialing things—under our current system you could still lose your job for an arbitrary reason,” Basiaga said. “They can be biased reasons. Maybe your superintendent didn’t like your second amendment bumper sticker.”
“Or something else that you’ve done,” Hatch-Geary added. “They don’t like that you stood up for yourself. The don’t like that your rely on protections you’re entitled to. It can bleed over, and those things can be used as an excuse.”
Listen to the full episode of the podcast below or wherever you get your podcasts to find out more about why teachers are pushing for legislation that would ensure a fair process and binding arbitration, and join us this Saturday to share your education priorities with legislators.
