Tenure a vital aspect of quality teaching in colleges; State College of Florida trustees wrong to cut it

I must respond to homebuilder Carlos Beruff's actions as he leaves the State College of Florida board of trustees.

I taught mathematics as a tenured faculty member in another Florida community college until retirement. When I asked if the position I was applying for was tenured, if the answer had been "no," then that is what I would have said about employment there.

Robin Bell's statement about respondents to untenured positions is absolutely true. I had background and ability to give value to my students and the college. The continuing contract procedure allows a college to determine quality in a faculty member before granting "tenure" (or continuing contract).

Working as a teacher is not like working in other professional positions. Sometimes things occur to undermine quality teaching which would not happen in a business context, such as undue or unprofessional influence on a teacher's approach, or even a department head's negative responses to a teacher whose tenure is reminiscent of a divorced spouse.

I suspect Mr. Beruff would not want to hire a plumber or electrician who was not a journeyman if he's interested in the quality of his product. Actions which cause a functional problem in an education process are like someone who develops a bad reputation; it's hard to get it corrected.

Walter Gannott

Bradenton

This story was originally published September 30, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Tenure a vital aspect of quality teaching in colleges; State College of Florida trustees wrong to cut it ."