New poll reveals it's not just governors who want to take on teacher tenure

Natalie Gonnella

As a number of states attempt to undo teacher tenure, a new poll reveals that it isn't just governors who are fed up with current educator contract systems.

In survey findings released on Monday, according to Rasmussen, six out of ten American adults feel it is “too hard” to get rid of bad teachers, with nearly three out of four Americans with school age children (K-12) sharing this view. Only 6% of total participants felt it was "too easy" to remove poor performing educators.

In relation to tenure and job assessments, 53% of voters believe that tenure should be based on academic performance, as opposed to other factors such as principal evaluations.

The poll also revealed that the majority of Americans are concerned with the aims of teachers' unions. Almost seven in ten adults feel that teachers' groups are more concerned with protecting jobs than improving the quality of education in their school systems and nearly two thirds of respondents felt that public school systems did not demand enough from students.

While governors and state legislatures weigh serious education reform, including the restructuring and eradication of teacher tenure, Rasmussen's latest findings reveal that their efforts could prove popular with American voters.

The full results of Rasmussen's latest poll can be viewed here.