Letter: Public will get what it does not pay for

Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006 | 7:42 a.m.

The recent unexpected resignation of 150 teachers from the Clark County School District points to the real crisis in local education. Salaries for school police are now competitive with local law enforcement agencies, but salaries for teachers are far below the competitive edge with surrounding states.

Teachers should not expect a significant raise from the 2007 Legislature because Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons pledged to hold the line on all state expenditures. Some form of merit pay is about all that can be expected, and that will not ensure satisfactory salaries for the teaching cadre. Merit pay is a shadowy promise with no teacher being assured of one penny in future salary.

The public should not be surprised if the district faces an even greater critical shortage of teachers during the 2007 school year. Unless something drastic is done to improve the current salary and benefits problem, I predict a mass exodus of teachers to other districts and states.

Nevada school districts already rank near the bottom in all aspects of education, yet there are those who believe that all that is needed to attract qualified personnel and make educational progress is the total removal of all teacher licensure requirements.

The public will eventually get what it refuses to pay for and can expect continuing decline and failure of public education. The American public displays continued stupidity as it willingly stands in line for days and fights to purchase $600 computer game systems, but refuses to demand that the Legislature provide funds to attract and retain qualified teachers for their children's education.

Virgil A. Sestini, Las Vegas