Parent supports teachers
By Steve Lahet, Monmouth Junction
To the editor:
I am writing in support of the teachers in the South Brunswick school system.
I think they do a great job and are not being treated fairly.
Having taught in Perth Amboy High School for two years a decade ago, I know the long hours that teachers put in over weekends to grade tests and papers and prepare lessons. The 4 “report card weekends” are especially long.
I quit that job as the $40,000 a year that I was making was not worth the long hours and hassles that teachers endure.
The quality of a teachers work often depends on the amount of time that they put into their work outside of normal school hours.
I cannot believe that pay cuts, increases in work load, the elimination of many teacher assistant positions and the like can lead to greater motivation.
Gov. Christie demonizing the teachers cannot lead to more willingness to put in the extra hours that our kids deserve.
The South Brunswick school system is one of the finest in the country.
Our children’s educational achievement will correlate directly with our future prosperity.
The property values in our town held up so much better than elsewhere in the region because in no small part of the quality of our schools.
I am willing to pay for a quality education for my kids.
I urge the Board of Education to treat the school employees fairly.
My two children deserve it and so do the people of South Brunswick.
The teachers have kept their heads held high in face of adversity for several years now.
But let us not ask them to persevere beyond normal human emotional and financial endurance.
Let’s return to treating our teachers with respect.

