CLARIFIED
A bill aimed at teacher seniority has sailed through Minnesota鈥檚 lower house.
The bill would require school districts to negotiate layoff plans with teachers鈥� unions. Currently, districts can negotiate such plans or can just use the state鈥檚 default system, which is based on seniority. According to Education Minnesota, the state鈥檚 teachers鈥� union, 60 percent of districts use the default option. Proponents of measures like this across the country say that 鈥渓ast-in, first-out鈥� policies disadvantage talented younger teachers and thereby harm students. They argue that administrators should have more of a say in which teachers are dismissed.
State Senator Karin Housley, a Republican, will be pushing for the bill in the Minnesota Senate.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no incentive to work out a plan that鈥檚 in the best interest of our students,鈥� . 鈥淟et鈥檚 encourage and allow the collective bargaining process to work and develop a system that represents both what the teachers are seeking, and also what the administration would like.鈥�
The 71-to-59 House vote was largely down party lines in a chamber controlled by Republicans, the open question is whether the bill can find enough support in the Democratic-controlled state senate and garner the signature of the state鈥檚 Democratic governor.
Democrats have already been lining up to oppose the bill.
鈥淲e have a teacher shortage. We should be focusing on making sure our schools have the resources they need,鈥� said House Minority Leader Melissa Hortman. 鈥淭his is just another Republican attack on protections in the workplace.鈥�
CLARIFICATION: Language in this post has been clarified to better explain the effects of the law in districts that already negotiate layoff plans with their unions.