Jeffrey Consentino, Hillsborough
Michael Izzo had some interesting statements about public employees and teachers salaries however he is wrong. Public employees do have perks.
Teachers have a guaranteed job for life after just a few years of service. Their pay increase in their last remaining years to the top of the pay scale guarantee they will make more money in their retirement years than when they worked their 20-25 years. All with lifetime medical benefits paid for by the taxpayer.
Most new hires in the professional sector no longer get a pension retirement is provided by their own investments.
Teachers and other public employees cannot and should not be compared to other professional employees in the private sector. Other professionals don’t have the luxury of contract for a 35-hour workweek with overtime pay paid for additional hours worked. Most other professional employees’ are working 50-60 hours a week all year long just to keep their jobs.
I haven’t seen a teacher with a beeper to answer questions on the weekend or at night. Where can you find a profession career that starts you with only working 183 days a year? What professional sector strikes when they don’t get their guaranteed 4 percent increase per year for three years or an increased co-pay for medical?
One point Mr. Izzo neglected to point out in his letter is that Catholic and private schools throughout the state have better SAT scores and do better in standardized tests while paying their teachers half the salary and benefits. These are real professionals. They teach because they care about the children and always do their best.
As professionals, they know that their job depends on skill and not union guidelines.
One last point for Mr. Izzo: We should demand the best and rid the system of inferior individuals.
Having a master degree means nothing if it isn’t applied. Too bad the teacher union believes that performance evaluations shouldn’t be a factor for pay increases and pay.
The teachers and the union are content to use years of service and a pay scale.
