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Changes may be coming to teacher tenure in Michigan

Time is running out for state lawmakers in Lansing.     The current legislative session is scheduled to end today. They are hoping to pass a change that will effect Michigan's teachers.  

MPRN's Rick Pluta filed this report on what's happening now at the state capitol:

            House Democrats are debating proposed reforms to teacher tenure laws at the state Capitol. Party leaders are trying to convince reluctant rank-and-file Democratic lawmakers to support measures that would make it easier to fire teachers in underperforming classrooms. Teachers unions are opposed to the bills.

            Representative Tim Melton is a Democrat who chairs the House Education Committee. He says Democrats and unions should make a deal.  He says that’s because the Democrats are in a stronger position to negotiate now then they will be when the new legislative session begins next year.

“We’re at the table. We’re negotiating a common sense reform, and a month from now, we’re not going to be at the table with a a Republican House, a Republican Senate, a Republican governor, and what they could do is something that’s not as thoughtful as the bills we have today.”

The Republican-led state Senate has already adopted the reforms. Today is expected to be the last day of the Legislature’s lame duck session.