Dave Hamrick's column, “Education bill's gems are buried in dung,” shows clearly why the effort to eliminate fair dismissal for Georgia's teachers “smells.” First of all, no teacher has “automatic contract renewal.” Teachers are evaluated each year and are then either offered or not offered a one-year contract.

Second, Mr. Hamrick is right when he notes that replacing the right of appeal with a written explanation has teachers boiling. A piece of paper with an explanation for the reason for dismissal does nothing to protect a good teacher from unfair dismissal.

Third, we'd like to see how Mr. Hamrick or his colleagues would like it if they did not receive a salary increase because of possible subjective negative evaluations (like a contrary letter to the editor.) I'd think they'd want an opportunity to at least face their accusers and present their side of the story.

Finally, it utterly dismays me how Mr. Hamrick, and other proponents of eliminating fair dismissal, continue to say its only 10 percent or a tiny handful or just a few bad teachers. Yet they're willing to strip away a basic right of fairness for the great majority. Doesn't quite seem like the American way, does it?

Dr. Drew Allbritten
Executive Director
Ga. Association of Educators

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