To the Editor:

I was so impressed with Ms. Grubaugh's "Fighting Teachers" letter to the editor that I felt I had to respond.  I was very impressed with her factual content and eloquent language used in her attack on our educators.  I can tell she is well-educated and a very intelligent person.  I was more impressed with just how disgusted I was by reading her opinion of our teachers when she has clearly been highly educated.  Maybe she should do a little more fact-finding and discover that our teachers have no union.  Our teachers do contribute to both their retirement and their insurance.  They have been, and are currently participating in cost cutting measures with furloughs, cuts in retirement contributions, loss of step raises and ridiculous increases in insurance premiums.  Combine these measures with increases in class sizes and the loss of parapros to assist with an ever growing number of students on different skill levels placed in the same classroom and I'd be willing to bet big money our teachers are most certainly overworked and underpaid.  I'll gladly pay higher taxes to ensure my children, and the children of this community, are taught by teachers compensated to a level that matches their ability and certification.  Ms. Grubaugh please remember it takes a village to raise a child.  We all have our part to play to ensure the successes of the children of this community and that means we support our teachers as well.  If you don't like our school system or teachers, I'll be glad to pay your moving expenses.

David Harper,
Supporter of ALL teachers
Bostwick
Via e-mail

Printed in the November 8, 2012 edition