"Principals don't want to talk about it. But everyone admits it happens. Despite the complex teacher placement rules, some principals can and do hire as they wish. They know the system so well -- and dislike it so much -- that they manipulate it by hiding jobs or tailoring them for specific people.
Principals are supposed to advertise all their openings to give all teachers a shot. But they don't always do that. If principals have new teachers in mind for jobs, they might wait to advertise the positions until veteran or displaced teachers have all been placed, then spring for the new teachers they really want.
Several current principals refused to talk publicly about the practices, but privately admitted that they'd used them to control hiring."