Teachers’ Jobs <i> Aren’t</i> Easier Than Others’
Mr. Lowell makes some fallacious observations and perpetuates common misconceptions. It is inaccurate to compare work years unless one also realizes that teachers, unlike most in the private sector, receive no paid holidays or vacation days. His claim that private employees work about 250 days a year fails to take into account from five to 20 or more paid vacation days per year.
Many teachers would prefer a longer work year because it would relieve them of the summer job they have to obtain so as to compensate for inadequate salaries. However, those teachers not working in summer jobs are often taking additional educational course work in order to maintain competency within their area of expertise.
I won’t even fully address the stress that results from being under a bell schedule for a full work day with the unceasing demands of 30 or more students, but I invite Mr. Lowell to spend a day in my classroom.
Possibly then he will appreciate the hard work and dedication of the professionals he so recklessly disregarded.
RIC STEPHENSON
President
Capistrano Unified Education Assn.
Laguna Hills
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