Jobs: Defining the Role of Teachers in Today’s Society

I am curious about Mr. K. Dellinger’s credentials (letter Jan. 6 re: M. Yarber’s column Dec. 30) concerning his ability to define what a professional is. Since when does being a member of a union preclude one from being a professional? If private parties, rather than school districts, had to pay us, I’m sure LAUSD educators would regain their recent 10% pay cut and then some. Since Mr. Dellinger proposes that only (professionals) such as doctors, lawyers, and CPAs are real professionals, does he mean to infer that those illustrious professionals were educated by non-professionals? What makes those true professionals have greater value than teachers who have just as much (if not more) education and (I can assure you after 10 years’ experience teaching in South-Central L.A.) an equal or greater workload?

Since Mr. Dellinger’s assumption is that women drop out of the work force (in) mid-career or work limited schedules, his inference would appear to be that women aren’t as dedicated to their careers as men who have real professional jobs.

What classroom has he been in lately in which is evidenced a “watered--down, pablum-fed curricula”? Certainly not mine. So our agenda is our “own entrenchment?” Funny, because we’ve always worked our tails off to give our students the best education and guidance in the midst of a society comprised of people like him who depreciate our efforts. We would welcome him gladly into our classrooms anytime, so he can view real professional female teachers who care about kids and America’s future and have done this full time for decades.

GEORGIA CARY DUBRIN

Carver Middle School , Los Angeles