'Highly paid' label simplistic, inaccurate

I was disappointed to read the article in Sunday's newspaper claiming that teachers are "highly paid." The article based that statement on estimations of average salaries and hours worked. Both estimations are simplistic.

The baby boomers are some of our best teachers, granted, but their pay does not represent what those of us just entering the profession are bringing home. The salaries we make qualify our children for free or reduced lunches. That hardly makes us highly paid.

Many teachers work about 50 hours a week. If you count grading, planning and the paperwork, our week becomes very long indeed. We do have days off, but they aren't often relaxed. We have to go to graduate school to pay the bills and to postpone crushing student loans. Many are part of summer school programs and other district initiatives.

Altogether, our time off isn't more than any other professional. I believe that most teachers use that time to get reacquainted with their families.

Simplistic representations such as yours are dangerous because they are believed by so many people. If I wasn't a teacher and I read this article, I would believe that my tax money was being spent on a bunch of overpaid whiners and would vote accordingly. I would be wrong to do so and my children would suffer as a result when qualified professionals leave the teaching profession because they are tired of being underpaid and disrespected by their local newspaper.

If you want to report the news, please do some real investigation. If you want to write editorials, please put them on the right page.

Rod Watson

Gifford Street High School

Elgin