Comments in last week's Port Washington News seem to indicate a lack of understanding among some members of the community about the relationship between the teachers of Port Washington and their union, the Port Washington Teachers Association. Teachers join the Teachers Association of their own free will. The officers of the Teachers Association are elected by the members and are all themselves full-time teachers in the district.

The membership of the Teachers Association has always participated in lively dialogue about the direction of their organization. No teacher has ever failed to express an opinion because of "possible retribution." The Teachers Association is not the teachers' employer. It has no power to change an individual teacher's assignment, salary, or benefits. There is no way that the Teachers Association can or would "retaliate" against an individual member. Indeed, every teachers union has a legal as well as a moral obligation to represent fairly every member, whatever his or her point of view.

To suggest that Port Washington Teachers Association does not speak for the teachers has no basis in fact. When the Port Washington Teachers Association says that teachers deserve a fair and equitable contract, it is speaking on behalf of every member.

Tessa Jordan

President

Port Washington Teachers Association