Letter: Teachers are grossly underpaid

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 | 9:08 a.m.

When I read in the newspaper remarks from our state politicians regarding state funding for education and how, when building funds are included, we are in the middle rather near the last in comparison to the national average, I become disturbed and disgusted. When was the last time anyone saw a building teach a child?

The building funds come from building bonds that were approved by the voters specifically for new educational facilities and have little to do with the funds that are needed to teach our children, mainly funds for teacher pay, textbooks, support materials and supplies. And when they continue with their rhetoric on how our state teachers' pay is at the national average, well that is like a comparison of a rotten apple to another rotten apple.

Is there anyone else, besides our state legislators, who doesn't know that teachers everywhere in this country are grossly underpaid for what they do? If so, why are we having so much difficulty finding teachers and keeping the ones we now have?

So, when these individuals, who some claim to be supporters of education, open their mouths and utter these grossly insensitive, misinformed statements, I can only hope that the citizens of our state can recognize the stupidity of their remarks.

All it would take is one state to take the lead to change our nation's attitude toward educational support. Nevada could be that state, but not with the attitudes of our current politicians.

JIM HAYES Editor's note: The writer is a teacher at the Community College High School, East Campus.