This is in response to an editorial in the Detroit News. I am not citing the Detroit News link, because the individual who write the letter sent it out to be distributed for us to read. Everybody knows the "teachers get paid too much, unions are evil, slash their pay" argument, because your television told it to you - so just consider this reaction.


Dear Senator Bishop-
I'm writing to you in response to the "Teacher Pay" article featured on the front page of today's Detroit News.

I'm married to a teacher in the Troy School District , so I get a firsthand look
at the "day in a life" of an elementary educator. So I would say that I'm
highly qualified to give you some firsthand insight into this subject.

As you probably know, Troy is one of the most highly regarded districts in the state of Michigan . The demands on teachers to maintain the level of excellence is overwhelming. Districts are applying more and more pressure and requirements on teachers than ever before.

The quote that was attributed to you..."[[Teaching) is an awfully nice job to have for that kind of pay", is, to say the least, naive and irresponsible. I would challenge you to spend a week shadowing her, to see how much goes into running an effective classroom. Try managing a group of 25 children, from all different backgrounds/cultures, personalities, and academic strengths and weaknesses. Now, add to that 50 or so parents who have their own set of expectations of how each of their kids should be "individually" handled.

Then, add pressure from the district to "fit in" more and more curriculum into each available hour of the school day. After being on your feet for 7 hours, when the children have left for the day, the second half of the day begins.

Things like: organizing the classroom, following up on e-mails from parents, preparing the next day's lessons, etc.

Then, its home by 5 or 5:30.sometimes 6:00. Eat dinner, spend some time with the family, and then check homework and/or tests all evening. Get up the next day and do it all over again. It is an exhausting job...rewarding yes, but exhausting.

It takes a very special type of person to be a teacher. I wouldn't last one week in a classroom full of elementary children. I'm guessing that the majority of the population wouldn't either.

These teachers are just as important as any doctor, lawyer, engineer, or similar profession. In fact, I would say that the responsibilities of their job have a far greater implication our national welfare than most any other.

Oh, I forgot to mention that every few years, teachers need to take college courses to maintain their certification.

The article continues to mention that other sectors, such as manufacturing, have had to take payroll cuts. How is this linked to the teacher salaries? The failure of the manufacturing industry had more to do with poor products, corporate greed and poor management decisions. Automotive executives ran their organizations into the ground with poor quality products that Americans decided weren't good enough to purchase. Only until the bailout did they figure out that they better get their act together. Greed by top executives, and stockholder pressure failed these companies.

I see no parallel between the failure in the manufacturing sector and how much a teacher should or shouldn't earn.Parents demand excellence from the Troy School District ; the teachers are, at the core, held to a higher standard than many other districts. This is not to say other districts aren't excellent in their own right, but the proof is in the pudding; Troy schools are recognized as one of best. not only the State of Michigan, but in the nation as well.

Yes, a teacher receives 9 weeks of vacation during the summer, but I can assure you, they've made up for those hours throughout the other 9 1/2 months of the year. [[this is when they take their expensive college courses to maintain certification - mauser)

Finally, and this is no joke, I think many teachers are underpaid. I've been in sales for over 20 years, and have seen all sorts of people make well over six figures. How can a guy selling cars make over 100 grand a year? How can a woman selling makeup make over 100 grand? How can a guy selling insurance make over 200 grand? How can a woman selling IT solutions make well over 100k? How can a professional football player make millions for playing 16 football games? How can a comedian make millions for telling jokes? Why do ambulance chasers make hundreds of thousands?

Are these jobs more important than someone who is willing to take children under their wing, teach them, nurture them, feed their minds, give them a safe environment, and essentially become their surrogate parents? I don't think so.

In closing, Mr. Bishop, if you haven't taken the time to spend a week with an elementary school teacher, from 7:30 in the morning to 10:00 at night, you are not qualified to speak on this subject. Otherwise, I would invite you to contact me and arrange a time to discuss this further.

If you ever take the time to fully understand the role and demands of a public educator, you would most likely be fighting to save their pay and maybe even argue that they deserve a whole lot more.

-Respectfully

Robert Brozowski

Troy Resident