Underpaid teachers? Take another look

I can't hold my tongue any longer either. Tracy Seaver's letter illustrates the continued lack of understanding that exists about teacher compensation. The myth that teachers are underpaid persists despite the wealth of information that exists that illustrates that teachers are now, and have been for at least the last decade, paid at least comparable to professional positions in the private sector.

The Daily Herald, through its series of featured articles on the full spectrum of our educational system, has added much to the public knowledge. My feeling is that the teachers unions perpetuate the belief that teachers are underpaid. And the unions hold the threat that if the school boards do not listen to their demands, our children will suffer. It's a tough position that school boards find themselves in, and few have had the courage to stand up to the unions.

People also fall prey to the union tactics out of concern for the children. It is a powerful argument. But if the trend to push for more and more for teachers is not moderated, the cost burden will crush the system, and the children will suffer. When considering pay - consider the total compensation package. Salary, medical, dental, life insurance, long-term disability, automatic pay increases based on time in job, pay increases for additional education, extra duty compensation, sick bank, sick leave, sabbatical leave, parental leave, holiday pay, personal days, stipends, tuition reimbursement, tenure protection, grievance procedure, job sharing, service recognition cash awards, 403(b) plan, no Social Security contributions, 10-month work year, pension with annual COLA (the ticking time bomb).

Did you receive a raise this year? Our teachers did. And have you looked at school superintendent pay lately?

David W. Koester

Barrington