Court Opinion

ID: 9696389
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:46:36.397671+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:21.946944
License: Public Domain

NIX, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent. While the majority correctly concludes that Elias v. Board of School Directors, 421 Pa. 260, 218 A. 2d 738 (1966) dictates that the absence of any rating during the prescribed two year employment period compels a conclusion of satisfactory performance, I strenuously disagree with that prior holding of this Court. Rather, I share the view as expressed by Mr. Justice ROBERTS’ concurring and dissenting opinion in Elias, supra at 268, 218 A.2d at 742.
“However, I see no reason for concluding that the failure of the Board of School Directors to rate plaintiffs should be treated as a satisfactory rating. Such a result is no more compelled than the conclusion that the failure to rate is equivalent to an unsatisfactory rating.”
The primary concern of the educational system is to provide quality academic instruction for the children enrolled in our schools. This standard can only be maintained through the hiring of competent new teachers and staff. For this purpose, the legislature has required the district superintendent to rate the performance of temporary professional school employees at least twice each year during the period of employment. Act of March 10, *6041949, P.L. 30, art. XI, § 1108(a) as amended January 14, 1970, P.L. (1969), 468, § 38, 24 P.S. § ll-1108(a) (Supp.1975-76).
Should the superintendent fail to perform this duty, there is no rational basis from which it can be assumed that unrated instructors are performing satisfactorily and entitled to promotion to permanent status. On the contrary, a temporary professional employee cannot become a professional employee until that employee has specifically been certified as satisfactory by the superintendent. 24 P.S. § 11-1108(b) (Supp.1975-76). See also Maxwell v. Farrell School District Board of Directors, 381 Pa. 561, 568, 112 A.2d 192, 196 (1955).
It is obvious that the result reached by the majority of the court in Elias, supra, was compelled because of a recognition of the importance of the district superintendent’s responsibility to perform these ratings and was intended to act as an impetus to assure the discharge of this responsibility. While I fully agree that this rating procedure is essential to quality education within this Commonwealth, we defeat that purpose when we permit the failure to discharge that responsibility to possibly lock in, under the law of tenure, unqualified instructors. Elias, supra, appears to respond to the district superintendent’s dereliction by forcing upon the school children untrained and inadequate instructors. Thus, while I am cognizant of the rights of the temporary teacher, in my judgment, that interest is far overshadowed by our obligation to the students.
Accordingly, I would hold that appellant was not a professional employee per se. Rather, I would direct that the district superintendent forthwith provide the required evaluation of appellant’s performance over the first two years of his employment. If in fact appellant fails to receive a satisfactory rating for that period then he is not entitled to permanent employee status and the dismissal was proper. However, should appellant’s per*605formance be found satisfactory, he would thereby attain permanent professional employee status, effective from the end of his second year of employment. Thus, compliance with Section 1127 of the Act, supra, 24 P.S. § 11-1127 would be required to determine the propriety of his dismissal.
ROBERTS, J., joins in this dissenting opinion.