Should principal fire new, subpar teacher? 

Q: I’m the principal of an elementary school. Last August, when we still didn’t have a 3rd-grade teacher, it was slim pickings. Still, I felt pretty good about the person I hired. I thought I got lucky. He was relatively inexperienced, but he was energetic and had a glowing recommendation from his last employer. He had taught 3rd grade in another district that uses different reading, writing, and math programs, so I knew we’d have to get him up to speed. Very quickly, it became clear that he wasn’t a quick study. I’d sent him for summer training, but it wasn’t enough. In fairness, our district doesn’t do much when it comes to training.  

He’s hard working and good with students, but he’s been overwhelmed and stressed all year. Our staff development teacher has worked with him, and I’ve observed him and given consistent feedback. In all honesty, I think he has a learning issue. I was a special education teacher earlier in my career, and he seems to struggle with processing information. He really tries and cares, and I feel terrible because I also feel like this is my fault. I hired him knowing he had a steep learning curve that would be tough for anyone, let alone an inexperienced teacher. Would it be ethical to let him go? There’s nothing legal stopping me. He’s a probationary teacher. I could still let him go at the end of next year without having to show cause, but if I keep him in the classroom I’d like an action plan. A repeat of this year isn’t going to cut it. Parents of our rising third graders are already concerned and raising questions. 

A:  I understand your conflicted feelings. You hired this teacher knowing he wasn’t an ideal candidate. You overcame your reservations by focusing on the positives — his energy and his positive reference. Given the limited training, it’s perhaps not surprising that he’s struggled to adapt to the reading, writing, and math programs you use. This situation would be a lot easier if there was a moral issue involved, such as leaving kids unattended or spending class time surfing the Internet. Instead, you have a subpar teacher who works hard and really cares.