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CHAPTER 1
Introduction to the Study
When a school district has successfully dismissed a teacher, many people in addition to the teacher have suffered considerable pain and anguish during the process. ... Accountability-minded taxpayers and numerous educational reform movements have offered a plethora of suggestions for improving teacher quality (Beckham, 1981; Carrigan, 1979; Neill & Custis, 1978; The Reports: Challenge and Opportunity, 1983). The state of Connecticut, for instance, has started implementing a massive reorganization plan directed at all colleges in the state which offer teacher preparation programs. ...
This study attempts to provide some well defined and fair guidelines for policy and practice regarding teacher termination for cause in Connecticut public schools. This study was based on a thorough examination of secondary sources as well as an analysis of case law specific to the topic of teacher dismissal.
The study was motivated, in part, by the writer’s strong convictions that the results would be of enormous practical benefit to all parties interested in quality education for children and fair treatment of teachers in Connecticut. ...
Problem Statement
The problem addressed in this study is the absence of legal guidelines for the dismissal of tenured teachers, for cause, in Connecticut. Whereas there have been a few studies of national scope of the various reasons for dismissal as cited in case law, and some on related due process issues, there have been almost no studies which focus on the relationship between a particular state’s tenure statutes and case law (Mahon, 1976; McNamara, 1979; Van Horn, 1982). Because each state is alone in its statutory interpretation of grounds for teacher dismissal, there arises a need to define the unique interpretations of case law that support the statutes of a particular state (McNamara, 1979). There have been no such studies done in Connecticut.
The primary purpose of this study, therefore, was to develop an historical perspective and legal guidelines to facilitate understanding and implementation of portions of § 10-151 of the Connecticut General Statutes. This statute addresses teacher tenure and conditions of employment and lists six conditions under which local boards may terminate teacher contracts. ... Other due and sufficient cause
The term “cause” relates to some action or inaction over which the teacher presumably has control. ... A teacher could be dismissed for a multitude of reasons and often without regard to the teacher’s constitutional rights (Carrigan, 1979).
However, from the mid-1950s through the early 1970s, the courts began to clarify teachers’ rights and forced school boards to demonstrate a “compelling interest” in order for teacher dismissals to be upheld. ... These two landmark cases, decided on the same day, culminated nearly two decades of lower court struggles to define teachers’ rights under so-called tenure laws. Clearly, 1972 was a benchmark year; and since that time, the courts, at all levels, continue to have a profound influence on teacher employment issues. The laws and procedures under which educators currently operate in Connecticut, as well as in other states, reflect the impact of the court’s continuing attempt to guarantee teachers’ rights while at the same time allowing local boards to have reasonable discretion in employment practices.
The literature showed that there is little consensus regarding the necessity, difficulty, process, and philosophy regarding teacher dismissal, for cause (Beckham, 1981; Carey, 1981; Landauer, 1982; Larson, 1983; Munnelly, 1983a, 1983b; Palker, 1980). ... What is the historical basis for teacher tenure laws in Connecticut? ... What guidelines specific to Connecticut can be generalized from primary and secondary sources for the dismissal of tenured teachers, for cause?
Method
To answer Question 1, a review of the literature regarding teacher tenure was conducted. Specifically, the evolution of tenure statutes in Connecticut was examined, as was relevant case law.
To ascertain the answers for research Questions 2 and 3, relevant case law from throughout the nation as well as in Connecticut was analyzed and categorized.
Approximate Word count = 3145
Approximate Pages = 12.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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