WWU suspends drama prof on new accusations

“WWU suspends drama prof on new accusations” by Janet I. Tu
The Seattle Times
Published 2/16/11
Retrieved 2/27/11
Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014248425_professor17m.html
Intended Audience: teachers, education administrators

Summary: A WWU drama professor has been suspended after new accusations of making inappropriate comments to students. Examples include addressing an overweight student as a “400-pound canary,” a female student as a “bimbo” and “slut,” and a student he thought was gay as “precious.” The professor denies all accusations, claiming they are a conspiratorial attempt by the university to substantiate grounds for his termination. The professor has reportedly received warnings about his behavior from university officials since 1998.

Key Points• A professor has been repeatedly accused of making inappropriate and demeaning comments to students.
• This behavior began 13 years ago.

Relevance: Judging by his age (69) and the duration of his alleged offenses, it is likely this professor has tenure at the university, which implies a higher degree of job security. A new bill has been introduced to Washington legislation that may directly affect the survival of tenured status. See the article “Teachers’ seniority targeted in house bill” (URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014236213_teachers16m.html) for more details.

Teachers' seniority targeted in house bill

“Teachers’ seniority targeted in house bill” by Queenie Wong
The Seattle Times Olympia Bureau
Published 2/15/2011
Retrieved 2/24/2011
Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014236213_teachers16m.html
Intended Audience: teachers and principals

Summary
Economic downtime has motivated education-conscious lawmakers to begin looking for new ways to cut down. A new bill proposes to base layoffs on teacher evaluation, rather than seniority. Supporters of the bill claim that students will ultimately benefit when the best teachers keep their jobs. Opponents believe this change in policy will put too much power in the hands of school principals. Timing may be a significant factor in the bill’s consideration, as some fear immediate legislation will disrupt the transition to a new teacher evaluation system currently underway.

Key Point: Teacher layoffs will be prioritized by performance instead of seniority.
• Support: positive step in school reform – the best teachers stay
• Opposition: job security dependent on principal’s evaluation

Relevance: This progressive stance may impact tenure in the school system. Teachers entering the workforce may have more job opportunities, whereas some veterans may be looking for an early career change. Performance-based job security will likely affect intra-school relationships among teachers and between teachers and principals. Whether students will benefit from this change remains to be seen.