Teachers Unhappy With Contract's $750 Penalty Clause

Teachers who bail on the DeKalb County school district before school starts next year will have to pay a $750 penalty fee, which has some teachers concerned.

An unnamed teacher told WSB TV she speaks for dozens of DeKalb County school teachers who are outraged about next year’s contract that has a liquidation clause the teacher called “mean spirited.”
 
Employee would pay the district $750 if they left DeKalb schools after signing their yearly contract and before the contract is up.
 
Teachers must sign next year’s contract by Thursday, the source said.

School officials told WSB the district has been hampered in past years by teachers who sign contracts, then notify the district just before the new school year that they have accepted a contract elsewhere. That makes it harder to find a teacher for the year, and slow the start in classrooms, the district said.

The DeKalb County School District released a statement to WSB saying:

“Improving student achievement is the number one priority of the DeKalb County School District. Historically, student performance in our district has been negatively impacted by educators who sign legally binding contracts and then abruptly announce just prior to the beginning of the new school year that they are also contracted to work in other districts.

When this occurs, the District’s ability to provide each student with a highly qualified teacher on day one is compromised because the teacher recruitment pool has been severely diminished. DeKalb's liquidated damages clause is based on the Georgia Professional Standards Commission's, The Code of Ethics for Educators, Standard 8: An educator shall fulfill all of the obligations detailed in the contract with the local board of education or education agency for the duration of the contract. Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: 1. abandoning the contract for professional services without prior release from the contract by the employer; and 2. willfully refusing to perform the services required by a contract.”

The district said the monetary penalty would be used to hire a replacement teacher.