Many of our teachers in the United States receive tenure. The amount of experience a teacher must first gain before receiving tenure varies from state to state, but tenure should not exist at all. The baseless guaranteeing of a position so critical to the futures of so many children and teens is simply inappropriate. In today's society, far too many privileges are extended as "rights". No teacher deserves to have his or her position guaranteed, stripping the competitive pressure that fuels performance. Far too many people are unemployed to justify the locking in of a teaching job. The value of a student's education is heavily dependent upon the quality of his teachers, and the school's administration deserves the freedom to hire the individual best suited for the job.

I've been fortunate enough to have many quality teachers who have furthered my education; however, I've had a few very poor teachers who have simply wasted my time. One particular teacher allowed his personal biases to influence the way in which he graded. Another history teacher filled lessons about Western Civilization with useless and irrelevant stories. So many young and vibrant graduates are desperate to begin a teaching career, but tenured "professionals" block them. If administrators are given the flexibility to hire and fire at will, they will be able to draw upon the talent pool that is currently being shut out by lazy individuals.

Eliminating teacher tenure would also increase the level at which administration applies itself within the school. If administration has no powers to fire a teacher, why would they bother to inspect the way in which a teacher instructs students? Eliminating teacher tenure forces responsibility upon the administration. The members a community elects will need to craft a team of teachers who are committed to quality, performance, and excellence.

Teacher tenure creates undesirable situations which cannot be resolved. Students do not deserve to sacrifice the quality of education they receive in order to support an individual who does not deserve a teaching position. Our world is full of competition, and that competition needs to be infused within the teaching environment. Without it, complacency occurs. The education system needs to be completely customizable, and it needs to harness the unused talent that is lying dormant and unemployed. Eliminating teacher tenure and ridding the flaws within the teaching system will allow a heightened level of performance to emerge, both from teachers and their students.