I applaud Greg Aff for his in-depth story on his attempts to find out more about the basis for the teachers’ strike (“Whitehead, board are standing up for what’s right,” Oct. 17). He brought forth the side of school politics that we all know exists. Education unions are one of the strongest groups in the country and a large voting bloc in this state.
It is my understanding that 20 years ago, it was mandated for all state school districts to adopt a state-wide salary schedule to create equality. Some of the bigger districts balked (Everett, Mukilteo and Marysville) and were exempted at the time with a plan to ease into the schedule later. Of course, this never happened and one wonders if it was because the union was too strong or if the boards were occupied elsewhere.
These districts have reaped the benefits of noncompliance for all these years. For more than 30 years of my adult life I have constantly heard about the “poor teachers” who are paid so little and have to give so many unpaid hours of their time every night and weekend. Welcome to the real world of the salaried employee in this day and age. Maybe some of them can tell me why every year the number of applicants double the number of openings at teaching colleges, if teaching is such an underpaid and unrewarding profession.
I think in today’s economy these teachers should be thankful they have jobs in a profession they profess to love and entered knowing all the shortcomings. I support the Marysville School Board for making a stand on adopting the state salary schedule and will vote to retain current board members for their courage in trying to right a wrong.
Marysville
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