COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio lawmakers are squabbling over the specifics of the state’s teacher evaluation system, particularly the wording of a recently amended bill in the House Education Committee.

Republican state House members proposed language in their review of the state’s teacher evaluation system that reads: “Beginning July 1, 2015, no school district shall assign students to a teacher who has been rated ineffective under division (B) of section 3319.112 of the Revised Code for two consecutive years.”

Democrats on the committee took the language to mean districts would be prohibited from assigning students to a teacher who has been rated “ineffective” for two consecutive years, which would essentially make them worthless and prime for termination.

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But the authors of the amendment contend it’s designed to prevent students from being assigned to an “ineffective” teacher for two years in a row, not that they can’t teach students at all, The Plain Dealer reports.

Ohio House Education Committee Chairman Gerald Stebelton proposed the language, and said it’s only designed to prevent students from consistently being stuck with bad teachers. Those bad teachers, however, should implement a plan to improve or find another line of work, he said.

“If they can’t be helped, maybe they need to find another career,” Stebelton said.

Stebelton told The Plain Dealer the Education Committee will hold hearings to determine if two years is enough time for struggling teachers to improve, and said the legislation could be tweaked further before it moves out of committee.

Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper, of course, believes Republican lawmakers simply want to fire more teachers, because they’re mean and they’re Republicans. Cropper said the union also doesn’t like other parts of the proposed House legislation.

That’s not surprising. Teachers unions almost always oppose any effort to measure how effectively their members perform their jobs.

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Frankly, we have no problem with the idea of keeping all students away from teachers who have been rated ineffective two years in a row. School districts may choose to keep them on the payroll and help them improve, but students should not be forced to count on them for quality instruction.

Why would anyone want to make a kid take a class with an ineffective teacher?

The House Education Committee is expected to revisit the teacher evaluation issue when it reconvenes in May.