“This decision has a far greater chance of weakening public education than strengthening it.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) released the following statement after a Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge struck down as unconstitutional five California state laws on Tuesday that govern teacher tenure, dismissal procedures and other job protections:

“Rather than protect students’ fundamental right to ‘equality of education’, a California state judge has moved his state, and possibly the nation, farther from that goal.  The Vergara v. California decision presumes that if only teachers had no collective voice, no tenure, no job protection through seniority, all would be well in America’s classrooms, and low-income students in underperforming schools would be spared underperforming teachers.  This conclusion is sadly misguided, incomplete and flawed.  It steers us away from pursuing educational policies and reforms that can make a positive difference,” said Congresswoman Fudge.

“The ruling ignores the impact of full and fair funding on our schools.  It omits the relevance of early childhood education and project based learning in achieving better outcomes.  Further, it was shockingly silent on factors such as high poverty and school segregation, issues that are known to impede student achievement. 

“The focus on removing a small number of ineffective teachers, a factor cited in the California lawsuit as a barrier to quality education, has become a smokescreen by for-profit entrepreneurs to privatize education.  Their real goal is to attack collective bargaining rights and job protections for millions of effective, veteran teachers who are committed to our children’s success.  This ruling has a far greater chance of hurting students and weakening public education than strengthening it.”

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