Letter: Nevada teachers badly underpaid, underappreciated

Wednesday, July 27, 2005 | 9:33 a.m.

I am always amazed at the ignorance and selfishness of so many letter writers when they discuss teachers' salaries. The latest letter came from Greg Lanstyak, which you published on July 24.

What other profession requires that workers spend a number of hours every day "off the clock," and work weekends and evenings grading tests, preparing lesson plans and calling parents.

What other profession requires license renewal every four to six years (depending on the degree), which requires money for additional college credits? Going from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree can cost several thousand dollars, yet the reward will be only one-tenth of the expenditure in actual pay raise.

Nevada ranks near the bottom in teachers' pay, yet the demands on the state's teachers are growing. The Clark County School District has a strong reliance on substitutes partly because it cannot hire enough teachers, yet it will not offer teachers a livable wage. Why would someone come to Las Vegas, giving up a good salary and a nice comfortable home somewhere else, in order to come here and end up living in an apartment?

Should not a person be rewarded for having an advanced college degree, especially if that additional education will benefit students? Should not the people to whom we are entrusting the lives and psyches of our children be rewarded with a decent salary, good health benefits and a retirement package that will enable them to live somewhat comfortably after devoting 30 years to their profession?

RICHARD A. NELSON