February 11, 2012
Saturday AM

Our Ketchikan teachers need a fair contract. I am very concerned about the lack of support for our teachers in this community. The teachers are the ones who are educating the future for our country, state, and our town. Public education is essential and we need to support it. These people give tirelessly to our kids , even after their scheduled work day is long over. It is not unusual to go by any public school on weekends and see several cars in the lot. These are YOUR teachers at work for YOUR students. There is no harder job than a public school teacher’s. I am very proud of what they do. They never give up on a difficult student who may have given up on his or herself. The teachers are doing their best to turn all students into successful learners.

Computer programs are important. The world our kids will be taking over is one where 21st century skills are essential. Who could have imagined a cell phone or ipad even 20 or 30 years ago?

Arts and humanities are important. Without these programs, who will invent the next big step in our lives? We need art and music as well as physical education. We need to help those innovators become the best of the best.

Giving the teachers a new contract is only an issue of fairness. When other Borough employees get a raise, no one even notices. When a teacher who is working so hard to improve our kids lives asks for a raise, he/she is called greedy. We need to attract and keep the best teachers.

Sincerely,

Cherry Rice
Ketchikan, AK

About: "Paraprofessional in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom at Kayhi and Schoenbar"

Representations of fact and opinions are solely those of the author.
The opinions of the author do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.