LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | Opinion – Evening News and Tribune

Educators do deserve better, and heres how

I am not an educator but my daughter earned two degrees in education and is a National Board Certified Teacher in elementary in Kentucky.

When educators lament their jobs are not from 7:30 to 2:30, they are absolutely right! They grade papers, prepare lesson plans, provide data for report cards, attend meetings and have professional development criteria that is required. These are AFTER school hours and sometimes in summer recess. Many times I tease my daughter about all the overtime/bonus pay she will earn. Sure, right!

Teaching can be rewarding but is also demanding, unsupported and stressful, more so than yesteryear. Many retire around age 55 and too many quit within five years. Others say Not for me after student teaching. When they want decent pay raises the taxpayers clamor. Their raises typically run from 0 to 2 percent, and too often 0 percent. The UAW won great concessions from their vehicle manufacturers. So who do you think pays for those? The buyer, of course these are buried in the vehicles costs. But folks pay and go on.

Besides teaching the mandated subjects, teachers bring much more to the classroom. They instill respect, politeness, patriotism, confidence, controlling behavior, compassion, dont give up, anything is possible, following rules/instructions and much, much more. These are worthy virtues that will follow one through life. These were not college courses, but values the teachers learned from their parents and teachers. Most teachers are parents, too, and want their students to also succeed.

Standardized tests: Too frequent and ever changing. Select one and use it several years to collect data and see the trends. The SAT/ACT tests have been around for decades and have masses of data. Refine if necessary, but not replace (If it aint broke, dont fix it!). When the line marker keeps moving, no one can ascertain good comparisons. And the tests should NOT be tied to educators performances. Too many variables. Kids are not equal in abilities or home environments. And not everyone is a good test taker. Tests can be mind-numbing with loss of concentration. Let teachers teach and NOT teach to tests.

Educators can find hidden abilities or talents which may make a difference in ones life. They fascinate, intrigue, and hone. I fondly remember my teachers and always respected them. One was an 8th grade science teacher who intrigued me in the science of chemistry. As a result, I earned a degree and had a 46 year career in chemical engineering.

Educators are due the respect of students, parents and the taxpayers. And those who control the purse strings need to loosen the strings more. A recent MSN online commentary by Gabrielle Olya is titled, Dont Waste Your Money on These 26 College degrees 7 of which are education related! [It is] based on mid-career salaries with 10+ years experience (extracted from PayScales College Salary Report).

My son and daughter were educated in the NAFCS. I was always pleased and had the utmost respect of their teachers. Both were well prepared for their studies at Purdue.

Teachers do make a difference and deserve better!

Robert Tylick

New Albany

I am as politically incorrect as anyone I know, to which this article will attest. The founding fathers clearly intended that service in the House or Senate be of a temporary nature; whereby an elected official would serve a term or two and then return to their private line of work. His or her time in office would be dedicated to ideas or bills that benefit the constituents back home, as well as the Nation as a whole.

Instead, our system has created a new occupation, that of a professional politician. Instead of serving a limited period of time and returning to private life, a person can at present spend 30, 35 or 40 years in government, preventing new people with new ideas from presenting them for that entire period.

Almost everyone I have contacted believes in term limits for both houses of Congress; even the president is limited to two terms, why should Congress be any different? Trying to get a bill through Congress in favor of a constitutional amendment would be hopeless, for obvious reasons; therefore the matter can only be solved by the people in an election. That is why I suggest the issue be put on the ballot in the form of a referendum in a national election. The terms could be worked out later if necessary. Failing this, and perhaps a better idea, is an amendment eliminating the retirement system for congressman, and putting them on Social Security, which would in effect ensure term limits, as most of them would want to go back to their professions in order to build up their earned retirement.

No other temporary job that I know of provides for ones retirement. Whoever heard of retiring from a temporary job.

John Kettler

Greenville

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | Opinion - Evening News and Tribune