Response to "Run schools like businesses."

To the editor:

I would like to respond to the letter you received on how we should run our schools. First of all let me say that I think a majority of the people in the Valley would say that we should run our schools more business-like.

The problem that we have is that we are running the schools like they are going out of business, trying to nickel and dime every detail because of a lack of funding. While there are things that could be handled differently, I do believe that we are doing an average job.

Secondly, of course, drug test all employees from the food servers to the administration. Most big businesses are already requiring these tests. But understand that is going to cost money.

My disagreement is the attitude that our teachers are paid for the three months that they are off. Anyone who is familiar with a teacher's salary knows that is not true. The reason you will find teachers on construction sites and commercial fishing in the summers is to pay their bills that their teacher salaries don't cover.

Does that sound like vacation? Trust me, they would much rather be on a "three-month vacation," Mr. Fowler. If you want the doors open 12 months be ready to pay the teachers for their time and the cost to keep those facilities open.

It would be great to have the facilities open for community schools and other activities for the kids to do. But, once again that would cost more money. And this business about testing our teachers? Our teachers all have a four-plus-year education. Our students get some of the highest testing scores in the state.

So what does testing our teachers prove? I don't see a problem with inadequate teachers in our schools. Let the children's test scores represent our teachers' abilities. They are educated educators who chose a profession that will never make them wealthy or give them the respect they deserve.

For some reason every taxpayer thinks they should have a say on how our teachers should do their job, without the slightest bit of research on just how they should do it. A teacher's goal is to help our children become well-rounded adults, not just in academics, but in life skills as well.

Most teachers put their hearts and souls into their work because their product is our future. For many children their teacher is the only positive adult role model they have. If there is any criticism to be given then give it to those who don't realize what they are talking about when trashing the education system.

If we want to fix the problems, then it is going to take some real research and, the bottom line is, more money. How much is your child's education worth to you? Are we really going to complain about our property taxes that are tax-deductible? It is the age-old problem of everyone wanting something top of the line for dirt-cheap prices.

What we need is for people to quit complaining about how the district is run and to educate themselves on what to do to make it better. Our teachers should not be the focal point of how to fix the problems. They sacrifice enough as it is. Teachers are the people who make the education system happen. Without them there wouldn't be school. Start looking higher up and work your way down. I am curious if Mr. Fowler went to business school?

M.K. Lincoln