Can some one please explain tenure to me ??? and I am not being smart. I would like to know why we have it and why it is needed ???

Tenure is a system that actually predates teachers unions. It was one of the causes that led to the formation of teachers unions. Early teachers were subject to rules that highly restricted their individual liberties, such as rules that required female teachers to stop teaching if they got married, or male teachers to only court females on Sundays. In addition to rules like this, teachers were often subject to firings for political reasons (the other party had taken over the school board) or for other arbitrary reasons. The two main things teachers demanded were the right to have a hearing before being terminated and that firings must have 'just cause' to be upheld. Various states codified these demands as laws requiring fair hearings and often specifiying, as in Pennsylvania, specific causes for which teachers could be terminated. Collectively, these statutes, regulations and contract provisions are called 'tenure'. Contrary to popular belief, tenure does not make it impossible to terminate a teacher who has achieved tenure status, generally after 3 years on the job. Tenure laws require due process hearings and evidence that may be reviewed by a court, and therefore make it harder to just terminate a teacher than it may be to fire a private sector worker without these statutory protections.

Chuck is a great fan of tenure. He has been financially and unofficially supported by the teachers union since 1996, so if the union opposes tenure, so does Chuck. He is the unions best friend and the enemy of all that is taxpayer friendly. His cohorts include Allen (I'm proud of my union plaque) Earnshaw, and Mrs(I proudly wear teacher union badges in school board meetings) Fuller.

When Chuck ran against me in 1991, the union donated to his campaign. He has denied it, but I reminded him of it the last time he ran. The union also set up phone banks staffed exclusively by union members for our dear "Chuck". No, for real, Chuck and you ain't for real.

My Mom was a teacher and I know how hard she worked. Even she would complain how nearly it was impossible to get rid of a bad teacher with tenure. I believe that great teachers should get merit increases and be rewarded for their efforts. They have an important job.Poor performing teachers should be subject to the same disciplines as public workers and not be able to hide under the guise of tenure.