Dear John,

I do not know whether you are aware that homes on Long Island are currently in receipt of the enclosed flyer, delivered through the US mail service.  I believe that our representatives are not using their energies to support the needs of the children in our care, but rather to bolster future political hopefuls.   I feel personally harassed.  I make $229,000 a year and work 240 days.  Assuming a 40 hour work week, and you know that is not the case, this works out to be $119 per hour.  I earned my doctorate degree from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1981, thirty years ago, and have never regretted one day of dedicating my service to education.

 When I taught Physics 15 years ago, I tutored for $85 per hour on Long Island. Currently private tutors are paid $125 and up for their services, with SAT tutoring at $150 per hour.  A School attorney gets anywhere from $200-$350 per hour.  The auditors required by the state comptroller are paid a minimum of $200 per hour.  No one questions these numbers, why?   Educators have become the political football and Superintendents are being tossed around to distract the public from the real issues, the tax cap and mandate relief. No one wants to creatively solve these problems.  Instead we have been made the scapegoats for the downturn in the economy.   

How has Newsday played a role in continuing this assault?  At what point do you balance the selling of papers with the responsibility for reporting the truth about the economy?   I fear for the young people who may be considering entering the profession and are being dissuaded by the current political climate.  Where will the next generation of superintendents come from?  No one will take the risk of leaving a tenured position to take the job of a superintendent if the contract they entered into can be altered by the political will.

We did not cause the current state affairs in this economy, WALL STREET greed did.  We simply bailed them out and they have cleverly reframed the conversation to blame the victim. You have a role to play for the future of Long Island and the dedicated Educators that serve our children proudly, each and every day.  I hope you act honorably.