August 12, 2013
FOX6 News Milwaukee
[Milwaukee, Wisc…] Schools are firing more teachers since Act 10 eliminated collective bargaining job protections, according to the teachers union. However, state data actually shows the opposite is happening.
…
In a statement to FOX6 News, a WEAC spokesperson said:
“There has been a noticeable increase in contract non-renewals and terminations now that school boards no longer have to establish proof of wrongdoing before firing a teacher.”
Nick Novak with the MacIver Institute defends Act 10 as giving districts greater flexibility.
“They’re entirely unfounded. They don’t point to any actual statistics showing that that is the case. There are many, many teachers that were unfit for teaching in our schools and because of union contracts and because of the power of the unions a lot of them were protected and stayed in their positions. Luckily with Act 10 and these reforms in place, it’s allowing these school districts to become more efficient to make cuts where they need to,” Novak said.
A review of the number of licensed teachers in Wisconsin shows that from 2008 to 2010, when Gov. Jim Doyle was in office, the numbers declined each year. Then, when Act 10 was passed in 2011, the numbers dropped again. A year later, the numbers are moving up again.
“Teacher positions have actually increased in the past year, they didn’t decrease,” Novak said.
Watch the full news segment below: