to me tenure meant public school system and you stated that you worked for pivate systems and my question was where does the tenure come in?
Ah, I see where you’re question.
“Tenure” means different things as far as public school teachers and University teachers are concerned.
Tenure for school teachers means someone put in their time, paid for the necessary certificates, and now they have pretty much a job for life. It was originally a means to sweeten the remuneration of teachers of children, because it used to pay very poorly (and still does, in many areas of the country, like Eastern North Carolina, where I come from). At the very least, come Depression or whatever, they always had a job.
Tenure for University teachers originated in the Middle Ages, when “heresy” involved not agreeing with the current biblical doctrine. “Seizing tenure” meant that the teacher in a Medieval University (who was usually a Catholic priest, by the way) could study Aristotle or Plato or whatever without worrying about being the centerpiece of a bonfire. It obviously didn’t always work.
Modern tenure means, I have my PhD, publications, and quite a bit of teaching experience. It means I’ve proven capable of carrying on research projects on my own, and that I’m ready to evaluate candidates for PhD’s in my field (history, in this case).
Legally, it does NOT guarantee me an income or teaching position, but it DOES give me a leg up in promotions and in grant-hunting. And, in case you’re wondering, I’ve NEVER felt obligated to “toe the line” politically in this school, as a student or teacher. One of my earlier prof’s even worked on Reagan’s initial economic development team.
And I won’t tell the name of my school because of internet stalkers. However, a person would have had to spent their life in a cave on the moon not to recognize it.