Speaking of Seniority

Yesterday I attended the Reduction in Force (RIF) hearing in my district. This is where an Administrative Law Judge hears from both the district personnel and a lawyer who representes all of the employees who have received RIF notices. Sometimes people bring about challenges as to why someone who is less senior did not receive a notice.

I had a chance to look at the seniority list for quite a long time yesterday. My number is 1246. There are 1393 total people on the list. In theory, this means there are about 150 people with less seniority than me. The problem is that many of them were not RIF noticed because they teach certain  subjects - science, art, special education, French - and that means they have guaranteed jobs for next year, even though they may be first year teachers.

This has always been my issue with the RIF process. It is not just about when you started in the district, but what you teach. In a perfect world it would be "last hired, first fired." But this is anything but a perfect process! Districts have the right to choose which types of positions they are eliminating. That is why there are elementary teachers who have been in the district 9 years who may not have a job next year, but a first year art teacher will. I think this is completely unfair!

While I do support the idea of seniority because it means there are 6 other social science teachers who will be let go before me, I believe it the process is inherently flawed in how it is carried out. I truly believe the first year art teacher needs to be let go before the district considers laying off any 2nd year teacher. I also believe that we need to do more to protect core subject teachers (math, science, English and social studies). Those are the areas that are tested and measured by the state and the public. Art and music are necessities, but in times of economic crisis, those need to be reduced before the core subjects.

I understand there are certain positions that are more difficult to fill because there are less people who hold those credentials. But if a district needs to eliminate positions, should it not start with last hired (regardless of what position they hold)? If the bottom 10 happen to all be math teachers, then some discretion perhaps needs to be given. But eliminate fairly and equally across all subject areas.