Trying to generate a conversation:

Why do elementary school teachers have tenure?
Why do they deserve a level of job security most other jobs lack?
Please post your comments below.

Here are links to articles that have been feeding my own thinking on the subject (although they largely deal with higher education, which is why I feel a discussion from an elementary teacher perspective would be interesting):

Stanley Fish Underestimates Academic Freedom (from Sept. 2008)

An Authoritative Word on Academic Freedom (from Nov. 2008)

Academic Freedom Is About The Task At Hand (from Dec. 2008)

The Klein Who Stole Tenure (hilarious)