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Kelly Mc: The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Education has received its first
look at new teacher contracts that will replace the state's tenure policy. The contracts
require teachers to receive their customary pay and benefits as the state budget dictates
and that any labor contract not exceed four years before needing renewal. It's about
one-page of terms; a design meant to give local school boards flexibility.
Rep. Craig Horn/R-Union - It leaves open the opportunity for each individual LEA to tailor
the contracts for their teachers and that's critical for my view.
Kelly Mc: State Board of Education attorneys wrote the model contract but ALL deals will
be between school teachers and local school boards who use the basic contract to craft
more-comprehensive terms.
Rep. Paul Stam/House Speaker Pro Tempore - The reason it's simple and clear is the most difficult
part of a teacher contract is defining what a teacher does and the contract says, "You
shall be a teacher."
Kelly Mc: And local school board members SHALL be the people who hire, renew contracts
and release local teachers when contracts end and classroom performance is measured.
Senator Earline Parmon believes teachers will cease being community pillars as their job
security is built on a proverbial foundation of sand.
Sen. Earline Parmon/D-Forsyth County - We used to talk about teachers we had and built
relationships with, you're going to see all of that change and we're just going to have
to settle for teachers because no one is going to go in a job where they're not sure, or
live in a community where they're not sure they can buy a home or become part of that
community.
Kelly Mc: Brian Lewis of the North Carolina Association of Educators says existing teachers
believe state lawmakers CANNOT change tenure for them, only for future teachers not-yet-hired.
Brian Lewis/NC Assoc. of Educators -They believe, and many attorneys down here in the General
Assembly, including Republicans in the Senate and House Caucus believe that it is a property
right for teachers who have due-process rights currently. So, NCAE will be representing
these teachers in a court of law and we will be protecting their due process rights.
Kelly Mc: The courts may be ramping up for opening arguments, but some lawmakers say
the tenure issue isn't the most-pressing issue for current teachers. It's merit pay's potential
role in future teacher contracts.
Rep. Tricia Cotham/D-Mecklenburg County I hear more about the performance pay. That's
the issue that's coming up and is that going to be part of the contract. That's really
what I'm hearing from teachers, not necessarily what we heard today.
Kelly Mc: It's about the money.
Tricia Cotham: The money and is the teacher down the hall going to get paid more than
he or she or the teacher that teaches Advanced Placement, that's the issue I'm hearing over
and over. And ultimately, are we going to get a raise is a question that's being asked.
Kelly Mc: Republicans say they'll be watching as local schools modify the state's "model"
teacher contracts. From Raleigh, the question will be when - or IF - state lawmakers should
tinker with local school decisions when local terms prove controversial.
Kelly Mc: Those addendums, as you see them coming online in future school years, is that
something that lawmakers at the state level will be watching?
Rep. Craig Horn/R-Union County: Watching? Yes. I hope we don't stick our nose too
far into that because each of the LEA's need that opportunity. We just want to make sure
they keep it simple and relatively consistent across the state because we do recognize that
teachers will move from one to the other and next thing you know, we've got a camel when
we started out to build a horse.