Letter: Teachers left out of recipe for success

Wednesday, May 9, 2007 | 7:19 a.m.

I am a 28-year educator with the Clark County School District. Speaking for many veteran teachers who have devoted their lives to educating the children of Southern Nevada, I am shocked every time the School District leadership and policymakers publicly spin to the families of Clark County how they do everything in the best interest of the kids.

Why is it then that they conveniently seem to forget the most important ingredient in our children's educational recipe for success - the teachers?

Our School District leadership and policymakers know what it takes to recruit and retain good teachers. The same things it takes to recruit and retain administrators: a decent salary package, a small amount of respect and an occasional pat on the back.

I'll bet you would be hard-pressed to find a handful of teachers in the entire School District who would say they feel completely satisfied with their salary package, respected as a professional or valued as an employee.

When was the last time your child's teacher was asked to provide input for the yearly school calendar?

When was the last time your child's teacher was asked to provide meaningful input about School District discipline or other districtwide policies that affect the daily operation of our schools?

When was the last time your child's teacher was asked to provide ideas to improve savings and efficiency on the annual School District budget report?

When was the last time your child's teacher got an unsolicited pat on the back from a School Board member or any one of the hundreds of off-site administrative leaders for a job well done?

When was the last time your child's teacher taught 30 years for the School District?

You start to get the picture.

Bart Boulton, Las Vegas