Judge rejects challenge to Minnesota teacher tenure laws

A Ramsey County judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit challenging Minnesota teacher tenure laws, rejecting its arguments that the laws protect ineffective teachers and deprive low-income and minority students of a high-quality education.

The suit, filed in April by national and local education reform groups, argued that state laws shield veteran teachers from layoffs even when they perform poorly. Senior teachers receive notice if their job is in question and a hearing to defend themselves against termination, whereas teachers with less seniority lack those protections.

The lawsuit, the third of its kind in the nation, was dismissed by Ramsey District Judge Margaret Marrinan on the grounds that it failed to establish a link between low academic achievement and the due process provided by the tenure laws.

http://www.startribune.com/judge-tosses-suit-challenging-minnesota-teachers-tenure-protections/398771461/