Bumping up the pensions must stop

To the editor: I see now the teachers are in justification mode.

What they are saying about the superintendent and board of education appears to be true. I am positive there have been 5 to 8 different people in each of the assistant superintendent positions for the past 10 years at District 211.

The reason is that pension is based on income for the last three years of service. What better way to give retiring principals, etc., a big bump in their pensions than place them in high-paying administrative positions before they retire?

The teachers aren't innocent bystanders, either.

Teachers want to be treated as "professionals" when discussing salaries and benefits, but want to be like unionized auto workers when it comes to raise and benefits demands by threatening to strike.

They consider salary increases below the CPI for the last three years as a sacrifice. The union president was quoted as demanding a 4.5 percent increase because that's what District 214 teachers got. Based on that mindset, the District 211 average salary should be reduced to equal the lower average salary of District 214 teachers. Now that's something we can all get behind.

They "accepted" a 200 percent-plus increase in health care employee contributions. A 200 percent increase of "almost nothing" equals "a little more than almost nothing." Many of their students' parents have lost their health care or had to drastically reduce benefits because their costs have risen so much.

Fourth, the union wants the superintendent and board of education to "end the hypocrisy." I agree. But, the teachers need to climb into that wagon, too, and end their unreasonable salary/benefits demands.

As long as teachers are so "committed to the students and community," they should address tenure, which is not in the best interest of the community. It protects incompetent teachers.

The bottom line is we have a district full of teachers and administrators earning top dollars, but not delivering a commensurate top education.

Taxpayers need to pull the plug and make demands of our own. So far, all we have done is dig into our pockets, deeper and deeper each year and ask "how much?."

Len Brauer

Palatine