Letter: Poor treatment of area teachers never ceases

Friday, Nov. 23, 2001 | 1:54 a.m.

The Clark County School District, where I taught for 30 years until my retirement in 1990, is doing it to teachers again! This time it is increased insurance premium payments for even less insurance benefits. While the district claims there is no money for salary increases, there evidently is no lack of funds to increase salaries and expand the overloaded central administration under the guise of district reorganization.

District-level administrators and regional superintendents are housed in state-of-the-art offices, supplied fancy furnishings with the latest technology in cellular phones, fax machines, printers, computers and the use of district cars. In the meantime students struggle with classroom sets of outdated and worn-out textbooks, antiquated technology and computers, maps, art materials, science lab supplies and a shortage of pencils and paper. Dedicated teachers must use their own funds for teaching supplies. This is the equivalent of a carpenter supplying nails, wood, and shingles gratis to build a house for someone.

We will lose more and more dedicated, loyal, creative, experienced and professional teachers to other states. The real losers will be the students. In a few years from now the public may demand that the school board members and district administrators give an accounting of the wasted money and the lack of experienced, dedicated teachers in our classrooms.

VIRGIL A. SESTINI

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