Quick Hits (12.21.11)

Apparently tenure is iron-clad at this university. In what started out as a parking ticket for a college professor, who was illegally parked on campus, has turned into three-plus years of litigation and confrontations with colleagues, including death threats and stalking. Yet he still serves on the university’s faculty. (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

Holiday spirit. Wendy Kopp, founder and CEO of Teach For America, and Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association, join forces to outline three ways to improve the teaching profession. Together. In a joint column. If you remember, they also made a rare appearance together on-stage during an Education Sector event on teacher preparation. They agreed on some points then, too. (USA Today)

More budget woes in Pittsburgh. Some 1,200 teachers in Pittsburgh were offered buyouts – up to $55,000 over an eight-year period – to reduce the number of staffing cuts projected in 2012. About 25 teachers are expected to take the deal. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

No excuses. An eighth-grade teacher wonders where to draw the line with students; when do teachers stop accepting excuses and begin to teach responsibility? (SchoolBook)