In today’s op-ed in The Seventy Four, DFER and ERN President Shavar Jeffries writes:
“After months of all but ignoring the urgent issue of education during this year’s presidential campaign, CNN’s Anderson Cooper finally came right out at Sunday night’s Democratic Debate to ask Secretary Clinton: “Do unions protect bad teachers?”
To which Clinton responded, “We need to eliminate that criticism.”
The Democrats for Education Reform agree that ensuring we have quality teachers in the classroom is essential. And what’s one of the best ways to do that? By addressing the root causes that are leaving too many of our students without the great teachers they deserve.
Why not try to stop “bad,” or rather ineffective, teachers before they start? Do a better job training new teachers, raise the bar for licensure, and focus the accountability bull’s-eye where it most belongs — on grossly failing schools of education, and alternative teacher preparation programs, rather than the individual teachers those schools and programs under serve.”