Bennett renews call for teachers’ job security

Board of Education teacher representative Ambrose Bennett has asked the House of Representatives to pass a bill that would provide “job security” for teachers currently employed in the Public School System.

“It is my formal request on behalf of all public school teachers for the Legislature to create legislation that will provide a tenure system or permanent status for PSS teachers or [one that would] place teachers under the Civil Service,” he said in a letter to the Legislature dated Nov. 29. “Putting teachers under the Civil Service will do a great deal to starve off any necessity for Union Representation of teachers by providing the job security [that] CNMI teachers deserve and need.”

House Education Committee chair Rep. Justo Quitugua, who received a copy of Bennett’s letter, did not confirm his position on the issue but said on Friday that it is currently being looked into.

“I’m having a meeting with the legal counsel next week to talk about it and visit Public Law 6-10 [Education Act],” he said. “We’re going to look at what the law says about employment.”

Quitugua said he had discussed the issue with his legal counsel about four to five months ago, regarding the PSS contract on non-renewal or termination without cause.

“I found out that that’s one reason why PSS has this high turnover, especially on teachers, because of job insecurity,” he said. “Teachers are always looking for more secure jobs, and [the issue was presented] not just to me. Other [PSS] employees are bringing attention to the issue also. They would like to work with PSS, but are not sure if they would be renewed.”

“I will be looking at it, and probably look at it in terms of having a due process in terms of non-renewal or termination and also looking more on requiring PSS to conduct a performance evaluation for employees every year so they can determine if an employee is performing to standard or not. Why should we keep the employee when [he or she] is not performing to standard?”

The Saipan Tribune tried to contact Commissioner of Education Rita H. Inos for her comments on Bennett’s proposal. Her secretary said Inos was not aware of the letter and referred the reporter to the Board of Education.

BOE member were not available for comment Friday.