Few people realize that even while thousands of "last hired" teachers are getting laid off, especially in big states like California and New York, there are thousands of other teachers who aren't even teaching, but will continue to receive their full salaries and benefits until the system finds a principal who will hire them. These "excessed" teachers aren't necessarily bad (but many are), however the point is that it is crazy that non-working employees stay on the payroll...especially when budgets are in the red!

This spring, thousands of young/new teachers will receive pink slips (especially in NY and CA), regardless of their ability, while tenured teachers will be immune from lay-offs even if they are clearly ineffective. We could effectively lose an entire generation of teachers in some places (imagine how many others will chose NOT to go into teaching because of this policy).