To the editor:
I am going to catch some flies with my mouth hanging open like this since I read Mary Kapsidelis’ letter to the editor in the April 28 South Brunswick Post.
In her letter, Ms. Kapsidelis states "it’s time to cut wasteful and nonproductive programs, and enhance educational programs that lead to the success of our students," yet she does not really say what programs to cut and which ones would enhance our students’ success.
Are our basic skills programs wasteful? Should we cut the music program, when studies have shown that music helps a child’s math skill development? Perhaps our physical education program, which encourages our children to get exercise so they can live long, healthy lives could be cut. Maybe we should cut our mathematics, social studies, science, and language arts programs. They are certainly unnecessary.
Ms. Kapsidelis also says, "there aren’t too many corporations left with benefits and retirement security, nor (the) work schedule left to compare to." That’s true. However, in the "real world," our most talented, intelligent teachers would be making far more money than they are making in our school system. They would be able to save for their own retirements and pay more for benefits. But, they would not be doing our kids a world of good, as they are in the classroom.
And the work schedule? Both my kids’ teachers (at Greenbrook) are in their classrooms before 8 a.m., every day. They may teach from 9:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, but they get to work by 7 or 7:30 in the morning and then stay after school and bring home work, in addition to meeting with parents, giving their students extra help, and going to meetings.
Summers off? Teachers spend their summers doing a variety of things. This includes teaching summer school (because they can’t afford to "take time off" because they make so little money), preparing for the following year (my younger daughter received a visit from her classroom teacher in July, prior to school opening, so she could get to know her) and going to countless workshops to become better teachers.
And as for the benefits and the retirement packages don’t blame the board of education. Go fight Trenton about that.
I’m sorry we don’t have any Rhodes scholars or professional athletes graduating from our schools, but has Ms. Kapsidelis counted the number of National Merit finalists? Did she go to the packed art show displaying true masterpieces by our K-12 students this past week? Does she see how many awards our music students have won? Does she look at the prestigious list of colleges our seniors go on to attend?
And so what if we never have a Rhodes scholar or professional athlete? Is the goal of education to produce only the top students? What about our children with special needs who desperately need more services? What about average students’ needs? I suppose they don’t matter.
While I am the parent of two children in the South Brunswick school district, I am also the daughter-in-law of a woman who lives on a fixed income, so I truly do sympathize with the seniors’ money woes. I don’t like paying taxes and I don’t like that they are going up this year, but I also know that every service we pay for increases each year. Food, gasoline, electric, gas, oil service, toll roads and clothes get more expensive each year. So does educating our kids.
Judy Walters
Kendall Park
