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December 1, 2009

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Letter: Gibbons’ plan won’t keep teachers here

Thursday, March 8, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

As a schoolteacher, I believe Gov. Jim Gibbons' proposed plan to help educators buy homes is missing the mark. I could hardly call this an attempt to keep teachers. He is only allowing new teachers or current math, science, or special education teachers access to this program.

Gibbons has introduced a narrow-minded plan - there are no incentives for keeping me here in this state. (I moved to Las Vegas four years ago from Northern California to become a teacher.)

Many studies have been done recently to determine ways to keep teachers in Las Vegas. Thanks to Jim Gibbons, we now have another reason to add to why there is a mass exodus of teachers from our state.

This plan will now attract teachers with little or no experience and who are not yet deemed highly qualified. At the same time, this same plan will cause experienced, highly qualified teachers to leave our School District and go back home to better pay and almost comparable property value.

I will return to California because Gibbons is not doing much to keep me here or show my job is valued. Attracting teachers to our state isn't the issue; retaining highly qualified teachers is, and Gibbons' plan will not change the current trend.

Rebekka Balkwell, Las Vegas

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