RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL PERSONNEL

WHEREAS, an increasing number of school systems, especially large urban school systems, are demanding that their teachers and other school personnel establish and maintain residency within the school system boundaries; and

WHEREAS, the requirement of residency has no relevance to the qualifications or abilities of teachers and other school personnel; and

WHEREAS, there is no evidence available to give even the slightest indication that a resident teacher relates better to the students of the system in which he/she teaches; and

WHEREAS, the effect of requiring residency of teachers and other school personnel could and would in many instances result in severe economic hardship to individuals and their families forced to move; and

WHEREAS, there is already a shortage of qualified teachers in many subject areas and grade levels in a number of urban school systems where teaching is especially difficult; and

WHEREAS, the education of children is constitutionally a state responsibility delegated to local school boards, but supported by the state in varying degrees, frequently to a level of more than half the total cost, and should therefore not have unnecessary local limitations applied:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers opposes the imposition of residency requirements on state or local levels; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will make strong efforts to have such residency requirements rescinded where they have already been imposed.