What you need to know about New York's teacher tenure lawsuit

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island has become "ground zero" for New York state's historic teacher tenure lawsuit. Here's what you need to know about the case:

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island has become "ground zero" for New York state's historic teacher tenure lawsuit.

Here's what you need to know about the case:

• Lawyers for both sides presented oral arguments in the case Wednesday before State Supreme Court Justice Philip Minardo, in St. George. Judge Minardo, who reserved decision Wednesday, will decide whether the case will move forward or not. He did not give a date for his decision.

• The New York City Parents Union, whose president, Mona Davids, a Bronx mother, and vice president, Sam Pirozzolo, a Castleton Corners father of two, are plaintiffs in the lawsuit known as "Davids v. New York" which was filed in July in Staten Island Supreme Court, St. George.
• The tenure challenge initially started as two separate lawsuits. A second lawsuit, known as Wright v. New York, was filed in Albany in August, by the Partnership for Educational Justice, a group spearheaded by former CNN anchor Campbell Brown. Judge Minardo ruled on Sept. 11 that the two cases would be consolidated and be known as Davids v. New York. 
• Both lawsuits were inspired by the success of the Vergara case in California, which overturned teacher tenure. The judge in the California case ruled that tenure violates the civil rights of students under the California state constitution. He issued a stay, pending appeal.
• Defendants in the case include both the city and state, as well as the city and state teacher unions, the United Federation of Teachers, and the New York State United Teachers.
• Staten Island attorney Jonathan Tribiano is presenting arguments for the plaintiffs in the "Davids" case, asserting that all students have a right to a "sound, basic education" and that the tenure system, as it now exists, allows ineffective teachers to remain in the classroom, thus depriving students of that right.

• Lawyers for the defendants have asked for dismissal of the lawsuit, arguing that state tenure issues can best be solved in Albany through the legislative process.