Unionization helped destroy public trust

This is in response to Dawn Heil's letter, "Teachers' important role requires support."

Unless I am mistaken, teachers have always held a position of importance and trust. Where they lost the public trust was when they were allowed to unionize.

The unionization of teaching took away the feeling that they and the public were one in the partnership of educating our children. The involvement of the unions put more importance on teacher benefits than on education.

Nowhere in private sector business do you see people being able to receive pay hike percentages that those in education receive and are guaranteed for the rest of their lives.

I also can tell you I put in 50 to 60 hours a week and still had to take home work on the weekend. The 35 hours a week would be a dream situation.

Heil points out that teachers continue their education to stay qualified. What she forgot to mention is that for each level of higher education comes financial reward. And if you drop the ball in the business world, you're out. Period.

Then Heil said teaching our children to be worthwhile citizens is worth more than any other profession.

While I totally agree they have a great deal of responsibility, I think that is a stretch.

And try living on a fixed income and knowing that out there somewhere, a teacher is retired and living well off my taxes.

William Swearingen

Elgin