SCHOOLS: Then, now not same

"OK, I've had it with these Teacher Unions and the teachers who belong to them." This is what Jim Blake, who is retired from the Navy, has to say about teachers... and to be honest, "I HAVE HAD IT!" My colleagues told me not to respond; however, it is time!

I am a passionate teacher who comes to school EVERY DAY with a smile on my face (like many others)! We teach all day, spend many hours after school and many days on the weekend to help children become successful citizens in this world (with hardly any complaining)! I can't forget the money we spend in our own classrooms, because our BUDGETS WERE CUT! However, according to Jim we haven't taken any cuts!

Oh, and let's not forget the money we spend on professional development, because we role model lifelong learning for our students. We have taken cuts in our benefits, in our building budgets (I get $50 this school year), and on our salary scale (I just paid $10,000 for tuition to become a better teacher for my students). Now, Jim (remember, who was in the Navy) will have quality medical benefits for life. Jim probably had free housing for himself and his family provided by the military, discounted shopping on base, and did not have to pay any sales tax... along with his quality retirement plan. School districts do not provide any of these benefits for their staff.

I commend the service Jim did for our country and his willingness to risk his life for the rights we now have. I ALSO commend the service that teachers do to help children read, write and do arithmetic (it's actually mathematics now, but that's what they called it when Jim went to school). I ALSO commend teachers for the other important jobs they provide to their students (because they care) such as counselors, parents, nurses, protectors, etc.

Does Jim really want to compare his educational experiences from the past to the educational expectations of today? I invite Jim to come and visit any classroom to see the magic that is taking place. When Jim went to school disabled children were probably not integrated into the classrooms, parent support was huge, and there weren't the technology expectations which we have today (I could go on forever with the differences). Kids probably did not throw chairs, bite, kick, punch, cuss (you get the point) at the teachers (see we risk our lives as well).

Jim also said that WE ARE BROKE and that THIS COUNTRY HAS COME REALLY FAR without kindergarten. So I ask Jim, "Why are we broke if this country has come really far?"

AMBER ORR

Coeur d'Alene