Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a bill on Thursday which would have streamlined the teacher dismissal process which was partly written after the Brentwood special needs incident last fall. Assembly Bill 375 would have protected children and streamlines the teacher discipline and dismissal process, saving school districts time and money while ensuring student safety.
It includes:
- Removes the four month summer ban on issuing dismissal notices for unprofessional conduct.
- Allows evidence of child or sexual abuse allegations more than four years old to be considered.
- Requires school districts to place an employee charged with homicide on leave.
- Requires all appeal hearings to begin within six months of filing.
Brown chose to veto the bill.
“The goal of this bill is to simplify the process for hearing and deciding teacher dismissal cases,” Brown wrote in his veto letter. “I have listened at great length to arguments both for and against this measure. While I agree that it makes worthwhile adjustments to the dismissal process, such as lifting the summer moratorium on the filing of charges and eliminating some opportunities for delay, other changes make the process too rigid and could create new problems.”
Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan has provided us with the following statement to a request we made earlier this morning:
I am extremely disappointed with the Governor’s veto as well as his rationale for the veto of AB 375. As a former school board member, I’ve seen firsthand the problems with the current dismissal process.
In March EdTrust West published a report that included surveys from districts on the issue of teacher dismissal for poor performance. In describing a successful dismissal, one principal reported, “All told, it took eight years and $200,000.” This should not be acceptable to anyone.
AB 375 was the product of what I consider to be the Legislature doing its job. It built on the hard work of Senator Padilla (who carried an earlier legislative measure on this issue). To say the work on this legislation was exhaustive is not hyperbole
AB 375 was the product of my own18 years experience on the school board, countless meetings with the education community – all the stakeholders on this issue and an extended teleconference with eight administrative law judges who preside over dismissal hearings.
I continue to believe that AB 375 made significant improvements by establishing a fair and efficient dismissal process. It would have reduced both the time and cost the hearings by while ensuring due process. It solved a real problem identified by school districts, teachers and parents throughout the state.
Unfortunately, the Governor did not see the need for change, and I respect his opinion.
