Teaching Must Be a Respected Profession

Why didn’t California state officials predict five years ago that creating more classrooms with a reduced number of students would create a shortage of experienced, trained and qualified teachers (“Lack of Qualified Teachers Undermines State Reforms,” Dec. 12)? As a result, many people walked into the classroom without any prior experience, course work or student teaching.

How many more contradictory articles do I need to read about how politicians want to make it even “easier” to become a teacher--and then we get a report stating how there is a plethora of underqualified, emergency-credentialed teachers in this state? Would you trust your doctor to be “emergency degreed”? Not until the state begins paying and treating educators as professionals will people become properly trained to take part in one of the most important jobs for our future generations.

Barbara Chang

Washington Elementary School

Burbank

*

We hear all this whining about teachers without credentials and lack of progress in our education system. Well, our son graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in June 2000. He earned a certificate in teaching English as a second language from a reputable school in Barcelona and has decided that he wants to have a career in teaching in Southern California. He must spend a year obtaining his teaching credential and whatever time is necessary as a student teacher before earning somewhere around $35,000. He must pay whatever tuition is necessary and somehow support himself.

Our daughter will graduate from UC Santa Barbara next quarter. She will work for one of the big CPA firms. First, they will pay more than $1,900 for her CPA exam review course. Next, they will pay 100% of her tuition and books, etc., for her MBA at either USC or UCLA. Her beginning salary will be $54,000.

Our son is dedicated to helping improve the opportunity of children in the most challenging circumstances. Why does his commitment come at his expense and not that of a society that will benefit from children who are better educated and happier members of that society? The real solution is one that our society is unwilling to cope with: better salaries for teachers so our schools can compete for the best and brightest, not what is left over.

Louis Shepard

San Clemente