I am writing in response to the letter writer who says teachers are asking for more but doing less. I can only assume the writer has a) not been in a public school lately, and b) isn’t aware of the climate of increased standardized testing mandated by the Legislature as a graduation requirement.
I teach math in a comprehensive high school in Seattle. In one of my five classes this year, I have 37 freshmen in geometry, a “tested subject” that students must pass to graduate. While I give every student the most individual attention I can to help each one be successful, in 55 minutes that isn’t much, what with teaching new concepts to the class every day, going over homework, doing administrative tasks like taking attendance, etc. Since I started teaching eleven years ago, the pressure on both the students and teachers has increased dramatically while class sizes have also grown.
Our school serves a population that is 50 percent low income. These kids come to class with a lot on their minds beyond the Pythagorean Theorem, like whether their mom is going to throw them out of the house again, whether they’ll get dinner when they get home, and how they are going to be able to do their homework along with baby-sitting younger siblings while their parents work two jobs. I have also seen the number of my students needing counseling for everything from suicidal thoughts to various types of addiction increase over the years. Along with teaching math, I do all that I can to be a supportive adult in their lives and often a shoulder to cry on.
Yes, we would like to receive the cost of living adjustment to our pay that voters passed years ago. Is the writer aware of other educated professionals who don’t get raises? Despite the fact that we do get step increases, if the steps aren’t ever increased to reflect the effects of inflation we are losing ground.
I really had to smile when the write asked at the end of his letter how much of our pay we are planning to share with our students. Probably more than his doctor shares with his patients, and his lawyer shares with his clients. Every teacher I know spends money out of pocket for classroom supplies because our discretionary funds get cut every year. This year, I have $300 provided by the school to buy supplies for my students, many of whom can’t even afford the most basic needs.
In my teaching career to this point, I have never been on strike for even one day, and I would prefer not to now. But if that’s the only way to get the Legislature to do their job as they have been told to do by both the voters and the Supreme Court, I see the need to do something to get their attention.
Susan Abraham is a resident of Snohomish.
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