trade turkeys

trade turkeys
 v. phr.— Note: “Turkey” is a long-standing slang word for something or someone that performs poorly. A synonym for “trading turkeys” is dance of the lemons. A related term, also mentioned in the article cited here, is rubber room, where teachers who are lemons or turkeys spend their days while waiting disciplinary action. «I’ve seen firsthand how exasperatingly difficult it has been for principals to oust abusive, incapable or negligent teachers who are protected by a powerful union. Instead, some principals would privately agree to swap problem teachers in a process known as “trading turkeys.”» —“Where Teachers Sit, Awaiting Their Fates” by Samuel G. Freedman New York Times Oct. 10, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)