The Wake County school board is voting to restore teachers’ tenure, but different changes were made in the state law that prevent any North Carolina public school teachers from earning their tenure. There is a new policy for teachers  of the tenure the new Wake county policy is that veteran teachers are ineligible for their tenure.

There are different policies and protection for teachers. There were changes made to the  state law that prevent teachers from earning tenure. The protection rights for the veteran teachers include  to obtain in writing the reasons for their dismissal, be able to request a hearing before the school board, and can only be fired for one or more of 15 specific reasons. State Republican legislators who passed the change cited figures that showed only 17 tenured teachers had been fired each year. Wake County members voted to restore the teachers tenure Tuesday, Feb 17.

“Our goal is to make sure our teachers felt they had protection and support,” said Doug Thilman, Wake County Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.

Since 1971, North Carolina teachers who made it beyond the first four years of a teaching period were granted tenure, but part of the General Assembly voted to eliminate career status for teachers by 2018. State Legislator removed from teachers as part of effort to eliminate teachers from earning their tenure.

“I wouldn’t say we’re trying to make a statement to legislators. We’re just trying to make a statement to our teachers to say how important they are to us,” said Susan Evans of the Wake County board.

The board had voted to give teachers and other employees increased supplements up to $100 per month.

“From a teacher’s perspective, I don’t think it would bring it back, but I do think they will see and understand that as a school system, we value our over 10,000 teachers and want to show them our respect and support they need for the hard work that they do,” said Doug Thilman.