So, today's topic will be educational in origin.  Specifically, the idea that if a school is failing, firing the people who have been there for, like, ever is the way to fix it.  This has been dramatically referred to as the 'nuclear option' by some.

The first to be fired, if this option is engaged, is the administration of a school.  This is a bad idea.  If it is the administration's fault that the school is failing, there should be some sort of evidence.  Complaints from parents, teachers filing grievances, students being suspended well above, or well below, standard rates.  Before firing someone who has dedicated a considerable portion of their time, energy, and life force, the benefit of the doubt should be extended to them.

Principals are put on an 'action plan' when their school is rated as failing.  But what are these action plans based on?  Some sort of research-based principal actions?  Best-practices administrating?  I understand if you have a chronically under-performing school (and for the record, I only understand high schools), then the administration definitely needs a hard looking-at.  But having one bad year should not trigger some sort of untested overreaction that throws the whole school community into a tizzy.

It seems that after they fire the principal, if things do not improve, they fire all the teachers, then let them re-apply for their jobs. Only 50% will be allowed to come back.  How does eliminating all the people who know best how to get work out of the students help the students?  Again, each teacher should be evaluated on their own merits.  Who is to say that 50% of the teachers are the problem? Or that any of them are the problem?

My own personal experience (12 years teaching as of this post's date) is that the children decide if they are going to learn the material or not.  I do not run a dog-and-pony show in my classroom.  I lecture, using PowerPoints so students can read and hear what is being taught, along with guided notes I create that follow the slide shows.  I, and all the other teachers I know, do my job.  It is up to the students to realize that they must do theirs.  And who makes them come to that realization?  The parents/guardians!!

If a teacher is not doing their job, then yes, they must be fired.  A principal too.  But should we be lose our jobs because parents are not administering consequences on their children for failing classes?  I don't think so, and I hope none of you think so either.