Andrew I support this policy of making teachers continue to take courses throughout their careers. This is especially important for science teachers because new scientific discoveries are made all the time. Teachers need to be aware of any new developments in their content areas so they can update their lesson plans as needed to make sure students are getting current information.
Claire I think this mandate sounds good in theory, but it might be hard to implement. Teachers already have very busy schedules, as they spend a lot of time preparing lessons, teaching, and grading. Teachers also often participate in different professional development opportunities, so taking mandatory courses on top of all this work might be burdensome for many teachers.