The controversial ruling that declared California’s teacher tenure and dismissal laws unconstitutional was overturned Thursday by a state appeals court, flipping the momentum in a landmark case that will head next to the highest court in California.
In an opinion signed by three judges, the state’s Second District Court of Appeal dismissed plaintiffs’ argument that expansive teacher job protections hurt California students, particularly low-income and minority children.
“Critically, plaintiffs failed to show that the statutes themselves make any certain group of students more likely to be taught by ineffective teachers than any other group of students,” Presiding Justice Roger Boren wrote.
The decision is a critical victory for the state’s powerful teachers unions, which have for years easily batted back legislative challenges from groups seeking to overhaul the public education system by eliminating tenure and adding test scores to teacher evaluations.
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