The teacher's union on Tuesday proposed moving tenure cases out of the court system and into an expedited arbitration process.
Under the current system, a tenure case can drag on for more than a year and cost more than $100,000 in legal fees and other expenses such as paying teachers who are suspended for the long-term. The New Jersey Education Association says under its proposed system, the whole case should be completed in 120 days.
Boards of Education can suspend teachers without pay for 120 days after tenure charges are certified but are required to pay them after that time.
"Now districts should not hide behind the complaint the system takes too long," said Steve Baker, spokesman for the NJEA.
The union is proposing that the arbitrators be certified by the American