Loophole Forces Schools to Pay Terminated Employees
Close the Loophole - Support Senate Bills 429 and 430

It’s shocking, but true. 
In fact, a teacher convicted in federal court for sexual conduct with a student stayed on a school system payroll for more than a year.  That case was the tip of the iceberg and has sparked legislation to ensure convicted criminals lose their teaching licenses.

Nearly every local school system has experienced nonsensical results of the tenure law revised in 2004.  It only took a few years to learn the promised improved process to terminate teachers was a farce.  Quite the opposite has happened. School systems spend hundreds of thousands of dollars as terminated teachers and other employees take full advantage of the payroll loophole in the law.

It’s like a payroll lottery win every time! 

Public Demands Common Sense Fix
For Outrageous Tenure Loophole

Just a little common sense can close the loophole and save public dollars.

• Authorize immediate cancellation of an employment contract for any teacher convicted of a specific felony or sex offenses involving a child;
• Maintain teacher’s current appeal process before a hearing;
• Provide a pre-termination hearing before the employing local board;
• Protect teacher’s 5th amendment right against self-incrimination by restricting use of testimony offered; and
• Give employee restitution for any unpaid compensation if the termination is reversed by a hearing officer.

School boards must have immediate relief from the technical flaw that drains education dollars and draws a public outcry as jobs are scarce and students do without.  AASB recognizes that until the necessary overhaul of the tenure law takes place, this common sense fix must do.
 
The tenure loophole provides an unbelievable monetary incentive for wrongdoers to appeal termination and corrective decisions. Frankly, it is just too good a deal to turn down! The broken process ensures that employee pay continues, sometimes for years, before cases are finally resolved.  Meanwhile, schools have no choice but to pay a full salary while they also must hire a substitute for the classroom.
 
Stop forcing public schools to pay terminated employees.

Contact your legislators and secure a commitment to SUPPORT Senate Bills 429 and 430!!