Editor:
In response to Allan Vought's ETC article regarding teachers pay, published Feb. 17, I can only wholeheartedly agree with his opinion. Even though I am a working retired person, when I worked full time, my average working day was 10 to 12 hours, 50 weeks a year. I sold for a living and was salaried with potential for bonuses if I worked hard and produced. Sometimes the bonuses were there and sometimes not. I had no job protection and if I did not produce, I could be terminated quickly. My pension is very minimal and my total medical and dental insurance premiums exceed $7,000 annually, all out pocket.
It seems that for teachers, the name of the game is always about money. I am sure that many of them are very dedicated professionals who enjoy what they do, but if they are that underpaid or unhappy, they have the same option I had, and that is to move on to something better. If my calculations are correct, taking into consideration holidays and summer vacation, they work about 70 percent of the calendar year and have what I would consider adequate compensation and excellent retirement benefits. With the economy in shambles and costs increasing for all, the well has to eventually run dry and it would appear we are there.
Robert N. Flens
Bel Air