Letter
Balance letters

When I read the letters in my May NEA Today, I looked again to make sure I wasn't reading the Wall Street Journal. I believe the majority of NEA members are old dyed-in-the-wool liberals like me. But the space given to members in the minority (like the number who voted for Mr. Bush) extolling the virtues of the current administration was appalling.

Give them space, but don't let it look like their views represent most of us who are long-time, dues paying members. Mr. Bush wants to do for the U.S. what he did for Texas.

Considering Texas was one of the most unlivable states in the country in a recent survey, that's frightening.

William Bennett
Lewes, Delaware

Second Career

Angela Denmore's position (Debate, May) that second-career new teachers should take methods courses before teaching motivated me to write. I agree totally that teachers benefit from peers.

I disagree that methodology coursework should be a prerequisite for teaching. Taking coursework concurrent with a new class assignment can meet the needs for the classroom. New teachers must, however, also be in a supportive environment.
As teaching professionals, we must nurture new teachers. If it were not for occupancies created by first-career teachers who have left within the first five years, would there be as many positions for second-career teachers?

Cindy Pope
Flemington, New Jersey

After reading the articles on second-career teachers being required to take methods courses, I was offended. Monica Jenkins-Moore's words (Debate, May) slapped me in the face when she "looked down on individuals who become teachers by simply having a degree and passing PRAXIS exams." She felt non-education majors had taken "the express route."

I worked hard for my degree in history and English. The courses were tough and fulfilling. In opposition to those courses were the education ones I took to get my teach- ing certification. They were boring and in no way prepared me for the classroom.

Jodie Goebel
Punta Gorda, Florida

RUDE TO RACHEL

Reading about Ginny Kalish in "Born from Imagination" (May, 2001) and her imaginary student, Rachel, reminded me of the Rachels I've had in my classroom over the years and wonder how a child named Rachel would react to reading about the obnoxious Rachel Rude Rowdy?

My guess is that a real Rachel would feel ridiculed and would be open to torment from peers. Perhaps a less common, non-
biblical name could have served the same purpose for an imaginary student.

Martha Batchelder
Chatham, Massachusetts

Taking Offense

I find it disturbing that Nicole Andrews (Letters, May) believes Jesus and Marilyn Manson are "equally offensive." I hope her bias against Christianity is not as obvious to the students in her classes as it is in her letter.

I doubt that kids wearing shirts with the phrase "What would Jesus do?" have other motives than making people think about their actions and making good choices. It's unfortunate that having faith is now deemed so offensive to others.

Duane Bauer
Mondovi, Wisconsin

The letter from Peter Lucas in the May 2001 issue is astoundingly lacking in reason. In his letter, Mr. Lucas points out that some of the lowest paying states are the most educationally successful.

He continues by noting that some of those states are trying to increase educational funding. He considers this effort wrong. Mr. Lucas does not believe that increasing teachers' pay in those states can be beneficial.

That reasoning is incredibly inaccurate! By keeping the pay low, he is encouraging those teachers who are doing a fine job, according to Mr. Lucas, to look elsewhere for better pay.

If that happens and all the teachers doing such a good job are hired at other schools, what does he think would happen to those successful schools? I guess that rewarding the teachers who do a good job with better pay makes no sense to Mr. Lucas.

Mark Schaffer
Redfield, South Dakota

RETAINING TEACHERS

It's ironic that my May NEA Today, with its cover story on retaining teachers ("On Open Secret"), arrived the day I met with a career counselor. As a successful teacher with eight years' experience, I'm leaving not only because of gaps between salary and cost of living, but also because of my inability to work in an anti-education/anti-teacher environment of no retention policies, and weak or nonexistent consequences for student behavior.

I agree with the teacher cited in your article. I have friends who are duly compensated for their expertise and are on an upwardly mobile career path. And they don't have to endure the "teacher bashing" that is so common today.

Astrid Robitaille
Torrington, Connecticut

I'm principal of Kocurek Elementary in Austin, Texas, featured in your May edition. You quote a teacher saying teaching is "More tiring, more time-consuming, more stressful than I thought it would be. It's not just teaching, but putting up a bulletin board, giving a snack to a kid who didn't eat at home, breaking up a fight-all at the same time." Who among us hasn't been there?

The teacher's name is misspelled. It's Vanlandingham. You call Kocurek a "low-income school." We do have students from low-income families-31.1 percent, but nearly 70 percent come from middle-class homes.

It's becoming more difficult for young people to live on a teacher's salary, and support is crucial. The district and schools have mentoring plans. Are they perfect? No. Do we need more money? Absolutely! But the plans are in place, training is provided for mentors, and we are improving in efforts to provide support for new teachers.

Cathy Heath
Austin, Texas

I'm in my second year of teaching and 24 years old. I love my job, but looking into different professions has crossed my mind. I live where the average home price is $225,000. Day care averages $200 a week for one child. On a salary of $27,400, thoughts of buying a home and having children don't come often. Many college friends who, like me, majored in math, are in professions where they make triple my salary, and they're happy with their jobs. I know I'm not alone with these feelings and wish something could be done.

Kathleen Dussault
Newmarket, New Hampshire

When I read "An Open Secret," I felt compelled to thank you for writing this and to thank all mentors who assist beginning teachers!

I also have had positive support from fellow staff members, and it makes a huge difference. I have been teaching for 12+ years, and though teaching is my passion, there is still a part of me that is considering leaving. It isn't necessarily the pay, though that is a part of it.

Our school district has faced severe financial difficulties along with several other districts within the state of Oregon. As a result, several teachers have lost their jobs and class size has increased, while those who are left have been moved around from position to position as the district eliminates positions. Often the teachers aren't informed where or what they will be teaching until the last minute. Funding for basic supplies has dwindled to virtually nothing, leaving the teachers with no other choice but to buy them out of their own pockets. I love teaching, I wouldn't trade this for the world; however, it is becoming rather difficult to give our students what they need when we simply do not have the funding or the support to do so.
So why do good teachers leave? Because the profession is getting less and less support to meet the ever-growing demands that are placed on us. Give a good teacher the support he/she needs, and a good teacher will stay.

Julie Barrett
Welches, Oregon

I am writing in response to your May cover story. My first year of teaching, I had the mentor from hell. For some reason, she would go out of her way to give me incorrect information. For the past two years I have had a wonderful mentor. Every question and situation that arises, no matter how minor, my new mentor, Leslye Rosenbaum, helps.

Betsy LaFord
Royal Oak, Michigan

CLASSROOM AIDES

I am a teacher's assistant in a kindergarten class in Broward County, Florida. I find it odd that Karen O'Connell in Port St. Lucie should comment on the lack of aides/assistants in Florida (Letters, May). After all, aren't Coral Springs and Port St. Lucie both in the state of Florida? Every kindergarten class in my school with 25 or more students has a full-time aide.
In addition to this, most kindergarten classes have parent volunteers as well. I feel for my extended co-workers in Port St. Lucie and Kentucky. It is, indeed, a full-time job and should be part of the budget.

B.K. Parker
Boca Raton, Florida

Estate Tax

Betty Barr's letter (Letters, May) on estate tax repeal did nothing but parrot propaganda intended to confuse the issue. There are already ways to protect family businesses, including farms, from taxation. If existing laws are insufficient, they can be modified or augmented without giving huge windfalls to the rich.

We don't help the poor and weak out of altruism. We do it because it makes our society stronger. Nations that protect the rich and suppress the poor are generally considered backward and underdeveloped. If the rich don't
pay their share, someone else must or we will all do without programs that make our nation a decent place to live.

F.A. Newsom
Clinton, Utah

Bette Barr writes, "The estate tax hits small businesses, especially family farms, the hardest." This is erroneous. As The New York Times points out, almost no working farmers pay the tax, according to an IRS analysis. The paper also reports: "One of the leading advocates for repeal of estate taxes, the American Farm Bureau Federation, said it could not cite a single example of a farm lost because of estate taxes."

Timothy Knapp
Syracuse, New York

Hostile World

Although gay and lesbian young people are the group most frequently victimized in schools, 75 percent of teachers have received no training on how to stop slurs and violence. One in three completed teen suicides is committed by a young person struggling to accept his or her sexual orientation in an often hostile world (Health and Fitness, "When Kids Don't Have a Straight Answer," March).

Teachers and youth organizations need to teach respect, not hatred and ostracism.

Valerie Johnson
Laguna Hills, California

Unlike Ellen Flury (Letters, April 2001), I applaud NEA Today for its excellent article in March, "When Kids Don't Have a Straight Answer." Regardless of Ms. Flury's religious beliefs, I'm sure we would agree that all children have a right to be safe at school.

I don't know of any religion that believes that children should be harassed, beaten up, and rejected. But this happens all too frequently to gay and lesbian teens or to straight students that may be perceived as gay or lesbian.

Regardless of religious beliefs, all teachers need to be sure that all children feel safe physically and emotionally at school in order for them to be able to learn and to mature into capable adults.

Lois Smallwood
Sunnyvale, California

Eat those veggies

How wonderful to see a page devoted to vegetarianism in the April NEA Today! As you stated, a vegetarian lifestyle has health advantages over a diet that includes meat. In addition, avoiding animal products is an environmentally, financially, and ethically sound practice.

Interested in including vegetarianism in lesson plans? An excellent curriculum for elementary students is available through Dr. Antonia Demas (antoniad8@yahoo.com) at the Food Studies Institute.

Susan Craig
Novato, California

Didn't anyone write expressing concern over "vegan" diets for young children? Don't you have a competent advisor who can warn you of dangers to children deprived of milk, meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products?

The "vegan educator" who was so delighted with the article "Beyond Broccoli" has already reached his adult growth, but a vegan diet is extreme, and is a danger to growing children.

Jere Hudson
Ashland, Oregon

More Boston Public

Yes, hooray indeed for Fox's cesspool of a show, "Boston Public!" It's about time that teachers had a David E. Kelly debacle to call their own.

Why should lawyers have all the fun? Are we really so desperate (and lacking in self-confidence) for representation that we would cheer this atrocious abomination? I'm baffled by the notion that this "program" is either entertaining or realistic. It is to the school what "Ally McBeal" is to the law-a soap opera in different clothes.

If you want to make an entertaining show about education, make it outrageous and do it right. Take a cue from The Simpsons (a show that knows how to joke about school). If you're going to be realistic, have the courage to look beyond the Hollywood plastic facade of stereotypes and power struggle. To say that there are no worthy stories to be told about the real people in the classroom is an insult to the very idea of television as chronicle.

Real artists-unlike David E. Kelly -use subtlety, nuance, irony, metaphor and character to tell real stories about real people. "Boston Public" uses old comic-book tools to tell stories about supermodel teachers firing guns in class.
Give me a break.

Eric Piotrowski,
Gainesville, Florida