I am writing in reference to the letter to the editor, published Monday April 20th stating that Chariho Teacher Salaries Shouldn’t Go Up So Fast. Anyone knows that the largest expense in any municipal budget is salary. Let’s first look at exactly what we as tax payers are paying for.

Teachers are specialists, attending a 4 year college and earning a minimum of a bachelors degree in education if not a masters degree in a specialized content area. Once course work is completed and prior to student teaching, degree students must take a teachers certification exam. Mandatory for initial certification, this exam is in the areas of reading, mathematics and writing. In addition, middle school and high school prospective teachers must take test(s) in the individual content areas that they specialized. This series of tests are paid for by the prospective teachers. Once the test(s) are passed, student teaching may begin.

The process of student teaching lasts an entire semester and involves mentoring on behalf of a classroom teacher, evaluation by cooperating teacher and college supervisor in conjunction with intense self reflection and analysis. Once practicum teaching is completed and graduation is attained, the employment search begins.

Certification alone, transcript or graduating from a prestigious institution does not cinch employment. The hiring process is based on an extensive interview where knowledge of content, teaching methodology, grade level expectations, classroom management, and child development are expected to be demonstrated through personal letters of recommendation and portfolio presentation.

Once employed, the education for a teacher does not end. Mandated by the state, every five years from the date of hire, a teacher is required to acquire a significant number of professional development hours, document how such knowledge will and/or has influenced teaching and learning and reapply for re-certification. May I also add, many educators are dually certified in elementary, special education or a specific content area and to be able to keep those certifications active must complete the necessary course work. It should also be said that in education there is a series of checks and balances. Teachers are formally evaluated by their principles (principal teachers) on a regular basis and are constantly striving to improve their craft. How could a teacher grow with the times while teaching for 30 years without engaging in furthering their own education?

The age old gripe that teachers only work 10 months a year, work 6 1/2 hours a day and have extraordinary time off needs to be looked at accurately. Teachers are actively engaged 6 ½ hours a day, teaching, interacting with students, demonstrating, assisting, guiding and managing a classroom of children, tweens and/or teens. The planning, design of lessons, analysis of student work and preparation all occurs “after hours”. This includes, providing additional one on one time with students in tandem with family outreach. Like the medical profession, in order to remain current with the educational trends, methods and strategies, professional development often happens outside of the classroom. Regardless of the grade or content area that one teaches, the goal of a teacher is to reach each student, and in many cases that can be 25-100 students. This involves knowing each students strengths and weakness in order to have them reach their educational potential.

It takes 9 years for a Chariho teacher to financially reach what others graduating in comparable fields make their first year, with duration of education and training being equal. In reference to pensions, it must be clear that teachers contribute significantly out of each paycheck to their own personal pension. Although teachers can collect social security in Chariho they cannot collect TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance), they must use their own accrued sick time. Before mocking those whom educate your children, it is imperative that research be done. Find out what it takes to become a teacher, to maintain teaching credentials and look at our greatest treasure – our children, the students that have passed through the Chariho Schools. These people whom we entrust with the education of our children 32 1/2 hours a week for 12 years are professionals and should be treated as such. How can we compete in a global society if do not value the very foundation of our educational system – our teachers? Lastly, I want to reiterate what I wrote in my last editorial regarding the voter turnout at the last school budget referendum. There is no excuse for the poor representation of the Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton voters. Less than 6% of the Chariho population voted, let us unite and never see those statistics again. Not voting does not imply opposition to the budget. Not voting implies apathy or that one believes their voice cannot and will not be heard. In a democracy, majority rules…..let the majority of voters demonstrate democracy at work.

Stephanie Lenihan