'Timken Roller Bearing Co., calendar, September 1950, teacher at desk' photo (c) 2009, George Eastman House - license: http://www.flickr.com/commons/usage/

California Supreme Court Puts Stake In Heart Of Challenge To Teacher Tenure

LATEST UPDATE: Vergara Overturned!

UPDATE: California Court Rules It’s All The Teachers’ Fault

Vergara v. California is a carefully-watched court case that begins next week that attempts to eliminate fundamental teacher rights likes tenure and due process. It’s being financed by a multi-millionaire corporate reformer.

Here is what I wrote in the 2014 education predictions I published in The Washington Post:

The carefully watched court case in California against teacher tenure rules that is being bankrolled by corporate school reformers will result in an unequivocal victory for teachers unions, students and families — either by being dismissed or by a court-ruling against the plaintiffs. 

I thought readers might find it useful to learn more about the case, since it has national implications (you might also be interested in The Best Articles For Helping To Understand Both Why Teacher Tenure Is Important & The Reasons Behind Seniority-Based Layoffs). I’ll certainly be making additions in the future:

Education Policy via Litigation is by David B. Cohen.

Lawsuit challenging teacher tenure, seniority protections goes to court next week is from Ed Source.

Why a Nice Philanthropist Takes on “Bad” Teachers — and the Rest of Us is by John Thompson.

Declaring war on teachers’ rights won’t improve children’s access to a sound education is by Gary Ravani.

Lawsuit takes on California teachers’ job protections is from The Los Angeles Times.

Teacher tenure goes on trial in California courtroom is from The Washington Post.

California Lawsuit Attacks Teacher Rights is by Anthony Cody.


Teacher Job Protections Vs. Students’ Education In Calif.
is from NPR.

Eight Problems with the Vergara Lawsuit is by David B. Cohen.

California teacher tenure, dismissal challenged in lawsuit is from The San Jose Mercury News.

 

 

Notes on the Seniority Smokescreen is by Bruce Baker.

Trial over California teacher protection laws opens is from The LA Times.

In landmark trial, both sides debate whether teacher protection laws fail students is from Ed Source.

Contours of Calif. Teacher-Protection Suit Take Shape is from Ed Week.

What Is the Real Intent of Vergara v. California? is by John Thompson.

L.A. teacher firings spiked but still costly and lengthy, Deasy says is from The LA Times.

Vergara v. California: The Agendas, the Facts, and Recommendations for California Law is from 34Justice.

Few L.A. teachers get bad ratings, trial documents show is from The Los Angeles Times.

Vergara Suit: When Is A Teacher ‘Incapable of Remediation?’ is from Ed Week.

Fight Over Effective Teachers Shifts to Courtroom is from The New York Times.


Aggressive public relations campaign amplifies courtroom battle against teacher work rules
is from Ed Source, and is probably the “must-read” article on the trial so far.

Disappointment At Trial Attacking California Teachers

Teachers’ Job Protections Debated in California Trial is from Education Week.

Vergara Sisters Testify in Calif. Teacher-Protection Suit Bearing Their Name is from Education Week.

White students get better teachers in L.A., researcher testifies is from The LA Times.

Kane Unable is an excellent post by Gary Rubinstein that responds to the previous article.

The Two Faces of John Deasy is by Diane Ravitch.

Vergara Show Trial Highlights Gates Foundation Snake Oil is by John Thompson.

Teachers union president: Vergara lawsuit just an ‘AstroTurf’ attempt to dismantle teachers’ rights is from The San Jose Mercury News.

A deeply misguided lawsuit about teachers and students appeared in The Washington Post.

David Welch: The Man Behind Vergara v. California is from Capital and Main.

Analysis: Legal positions in Vergara trial a universe apart is from LA School Report.

Vergara Plaintiffs Shouldn’t Put Individual Teachers On Trial is by Paul Bruno.

Linda Darling-Hammond Testifies in Vergara Trial is from Diane Ravitch’s blog.

Commentary: Standing with Beatriz against Vergara is by LA School Board member Steve Zimmer.

Attorneys give final arguments in Vergara suit challenging laws for teacher hiring, firing is from Ed Source.

Fate of California Teacher-Protection Rules Now in Hands of Judge is from Ed Week.

The Vergara Lawsuit Fixes Nothing & Can Make Things Worse

If Economists Studied Education Research, Would They Still Promote Value-Added Evaluations? is by John Thompson.

Guest commentary: Teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions is from The Contra Costa Times.

Kill tenure, cure schools? was published in the Los Angeles Times.

Competing Views of Teacher Tenure Are on Display in California Case is from The New York Times.

Vergara suit wrong to blame teachers for inequities is by Randi Weingarten.

Gov. Jerry Brown Appeals Awful Vergara Court Ruling

State needs a ‘grand bargain’ on teachers’ effectiveness, obstacles appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

Teachers unions battle court ruling on tenure laws is from The San Francisco Chronicle.

Closely Watched Fight Over California Teacher Tenure Moves to Appeals Court is from The New York Times.

How easy should it be to fire bad teachers? A landmark case may decide for California is from The L.A. Times.

What the Vergara ruling means for the future of teacher tenure in the U.S. is from The LA Times.

Why firing bad teachers isn’t nearly as important as creating good ones is from The L.A. Times.