Wisconsin school boards would have an easier time firing teachers if State Senator Glenn Grothman has his way. The West Bend Republican is drafting legislation to let districts get rid of what he calls “lemons” in the classroom, without going through years of legal disputes. Grothman says it's getting harder to get rid of teachers unless they do something truly outrageous in the classroom. He says it can take years of legal expenses to terminate a teacher's employment.
Wisconsin Education Association Council President Stan Johnson opposes the idea, saying it singles out public school teachers. Johnson says review policies are already in place to keep bad teachers from staying in Wisconsin schools, and Grothman's legislation would only hurt those who have worked their way through that process. He says a similar proposal was introduced last session, but it failed to pass out of a committee chaired by Grothman.