Teaching is a special job as it shapes society by educating people and guiding them. Further, being a teacher has significant benefits, from reliable salaries to satisfactory benefits. However, this profession has its challenges, whether you are a teacher in a public, private or charter school, and one of them is teaching contract non-renewals.
If your teaching contract was not renewed without a valid policy reason or following the lawful process, here is what you should consider doing:
Reach out to your union
If you believe your contract non-renewal is unlawful, reach out to your union to discover your options. You may have heard that resignation allows you to control the situation, as your record may show you resigned from the job instead of not having your contract renewed.
However, it may not be wise to rush into resigning without guidance from your union representative, particularly when you wish to fight. Your resignation may be accepted before you get the chance to revoke it.
Factors to consider to determine if fighting or resigning is the best option are the strength of the administration’s case against you, your desire to continue working in the district and the chances of the school board reversing the decision. Your union representative may analyze these factors to help you choose the most suitable option.
Pay attention to deadlines
You have to act on time once you receive the contract non-renewal notice. For instance, you may have a deadline to request a hearing on the proposed decisions. Thus, it may be best to act quickly, but with adequate information.
At times, a teaching contract non-renewal may be unlawful. It will help to evaluate your case to protect your rights.