The long mile to the principal’s office.

Basic Principal Summary

 

The principal used to be the Head Teacher, a person who led by example.  Today, that position is primarily concerned with the important day to day decisions such as whether to have Buddy’s Barbecue or A&W Restaurant cater the pre-game meal.

 

Salary:  $92,000 work is year round

 

Any local Board of Education hopes that any complaints about a teacher, the school, or the system ends with the principal of the school where the problem occurs.  The principal, like a teacher, takes marching orders from the union.  You are probably thinking, “Why?  He’s an administrator, not a teacher?”  The principal is bound by 49-5-501 of the Tennessee Code Annotated to the same rules as “teachers.” 

 

(10)  “Teacher” includes teachers, supervisors, principals, director of schools and all other certificated personnel employed by any local board of education, for service in public, elementary and secondary schools in Tennessee, supported in whole or in part by state or federal funds;

 

And Section 3, subpart D defines conduct unbecoming of a teacher:

 

(D)  Disregard of the code of ethics of the Tennessee Education Association in such manner as to make one obnoxious as a member of the profession

 

After reading the Tennessee Educators Association (TEA) Code of Ethics, I found this comment:

 

In fulfillment of the obligation to the profession, the educator – 

 

6. Shall not disclose information about colleagues obtained in the course of professional service unless the disclosure serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law.  (This doesn’t say that a professional educator shall not disclose good information.  The doesn’t say that a professional educator shall not disclose detrimental information.  A professional educator shall not disclose ANY information about colleagues.)

 

In other words, the principal comes across an absolute deadbeat teacher.  The principal cannot, by law and this code of ethics by the teacher’s union, disclose to any parent, supervisor, director of schools, or board of education member the fact that the teacher is incompetent.  Of course everyone will argue that the principal could disclose that information, but the word compelling gives the teacher an argumentative word to litigate over.  This inevitably ties a principals hands into letting tenured incompetents remain in place.  This might explain why principals are quick to dismiss parental involvement in schools.

 

Solution:

Open teaching records, particularly grade distributions, to the public.  No one wants to know what other children’s grades may be on the personal level, but everyone wants to know how many students are failing under a particular teacher.  Revealing grade distribution is not illegal.  Some people may be comfortable allowing their children to study under someone with a 20% failure rate.  Parents should be concerned about any teacher with a 10% failure rate or higher.  Regardless of tenure, school boards can assist the principal by being leaders and commanding performance standards for teachers that the community may review; such as, 10% failure rate is automatic termination from a teaching position. 

 

 

Current Stories and Articles

 

Comparing The Principals!  A look at the difference in leadership styles.

 

 

 

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