Passing Teachers That Fail

No matter how many safeguards we put in place, kids are bound to have a horrible teacher at some point during their educational career. Someone I know still has night terrors about his sixth grade teacher who smelled of cigarettes and hazelnut coffee, and who made her students feel responsible for her inability to teach.

Once an incompetent teacher is in, the teachers’ union makes it nearly impossible to get rid of him or her. But the state wants to allow more stupid people to teach your kids.

I feel a bit like Howie Carr, railing against the moonbats in the Senate, but the idea that a teacher can flunk the certification test three times and still get the job is pretty ridiculous. Even the Republicans had some fun with the idea.

“Dentistry is a profession that’s difficult to get into,” [Sen. Richard] Tisei said. “I’m sure people wouldn’t mind if the person who is doing their root canal cannot pass the competency test.”

But Democrats have their reasons for passing the legislation.

“There are other ways to measure whether someone is a successful teacher,” said state Sen. Robert Antonioni (D-Leominster). . . “Some people don’t test well.”

Does this mean that kids who don’t test well will be exempt from the MCAS? It only seems fair.