Teacher Salaries

* Re “Parents, Taxpayers Will Be the Judges of Pricey School Reforms,” July 23.

There has not been an “across-the-board class-size reduction” as George Runner states. In most districts, class size has been reduced in grades one through three and in eighth- and ninth-grade English classes. In other grades and secondary courses, classes are still large.

In addition, not all school districts in California have used Gov. Gray Davis’ teacher salary allotment to raise salaries in a significant manner. In the Los Angeles Unified School District, where teachers took a substantial salary cut several years ago, the offer given to all but new hires amounts to 1% and a possible 4%, which is tied to test scores on a flawed Stanford 9 test. Not only have LAUSD educators not recouped our full salary cut, but we’ve also seen new hires receive a $5,000 bonus while veteran teachers are left with a pitiful contract offer.

When Runner makes a blanket statement that “California’s teachers are among the highest paid in the country,” he does us a disservice by not including other facts. First, he fails to mention that the cost of living in Los Angeles is high. In addition, he leaves the public with the belief that all districts in Los Angeles County and all other districts in California have done what he states: raised teachers’ salaries and improved retirement benefits. This has not been the case in my district.

LYNN NORMAN

Northridge