How Can Prostitutes Outrank Dishwashers?

I realize that it must be difficult to find important news copy on the Tuesday after Labor Day, but how could you justify the article “Status Jobs,” about a USC/UC Irvine “prestige” survey?

I noticed that college professors rated high, but school teachers were omitted. To me, the teachers that deserve the most “prestige” are those that return to inner-city schools year after year.

As for the “least prestigious jobs” ranking (dishwashers and prostitutes ranked 17th and 14th respectively), I would have laughed at it if it had not caused two of my friends considerable pain to be equated in “prestige” with prostitutes and street-corner drug dealers (13). They are honest, hard-working dishwashers who have learning disabilities.

Believe me, I’d prefer my friends any day to some of the dishonest lawyers (75 on the most prestigious list) I’ve known and boring college professors (74) whose classes I had to attend to get my degree years ago. Next time, find a survey that improves our lives instead of putting hard-working people down.

CATHY BURGE

Agoura Hills