Nev. Republican Tackles Tenure for Bad Teachers

A Republican lawmaker in Nevada is battling against Democratic changes to an education reform bill that would keep bad teachers for too long, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Thursday.

"Having a good teacher is the most important factor in the classroom," Assemblyman Ira Hansen, a Republican from Sparks, told other members of the Assembly Education Committee. "I don't understand why you are giving that big of a window to an unsatisfactory teacher."

Under the current bill, underperforming teachers could remain in classrooms for up to three years, he said.

Last week, Democrats proposed an education reform plan that would set up a system of merit pay and create policies to dismiss poor employees. Hansen raised concerns about specific provisions in the bill.

He was the only person to raise the issues, while a long line of school personnel praised the proposed legislation.

Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval is working on a bill to eliminate teacher tenure in the state.