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Teaching has long been a popular choice for those seeking a second career. Although the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not keep statistics of the ages of newly hired teachers, in 2010 teachers over the age of 50 made up 18.2% of all the teachers in Missouri public schools.1 It is safe to assume that a decent number of these older teachers came to the profession later in life. Teaching is an attractive option for those seeking a second career for several reasons. Teaching may not be the highest paying career in the world, but the job provides attractive benefits, including a shortened work period and access to a magnificent retirement system. Teaching is also a sensible career option during an economic recession. Compulsory education laws guarantee that there will always be children to educate, no matter what the state of the economy.2 Perhaps the most appealing aspect of teaching for those concerned about the future is the job security the profession provides.

In Missouri, public school teachers receive job security by obtaining tenure status. Missouri’s Teacher Tenure Act, codified in Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 168.102 to 168.130, provides that any teacher who has been employed as … Read the full text …