Schoolteacher tenure ruling expected

A Louisiana judge should decide today whether Governor Bobby Jindal's plan to limit public school teacher tenure is in line with the state constitution or not.

 

One of the state's teachers unions, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, says the law is too broad -- LFT president Steve Monaghan says it attempts to do too many different things.

 

"The bill violates the constitutional mandate that bills be all of one single intent," Monaghan said. 

 

But teachers aren't presenting a united front on the issue.  Schoolteacher Bree Quinn, of Stand for Children in Louisiana, says the new tenure rules will make sure teachers don't lose sight of their purpose.

 

"It's time for us to appreciate teaching as a profession and reward teachers who are doing a great job," she said.  "I support (it) mostly because I believe experience alone doesn't determine whether a teacher is effective at helping children learn."

 

The court challenge is a test of one of the governor's major initiatives from the last session.