This is an open letter to all the Carle Place teachers who are mourning their contracts, who cares!! The fact that you don't have a new contract means nothing. If I'm not mistaken the old one is still in effect. Those of you who are due step-up raises are receiving them, you still have medical benefits and those of you who are tenured have job security. Why should anyone in the community sympathize with you?
Your lack of a new contract isn't the concern of the students or their parents, your problem is with the board of education. So parading around in widows black with those buttons is nothing but a big turn off. Not showing up at the Staff Conference Day luncheon after all the time and money spent on it was another great move, you definitely got a lot of sympathy there too. Now you're not going to do the super dance that really ought to get your message across. A message that you don't care about anything but your pocketbooks.
I've got a proposal for everyone concerned: why don't we give you whatever it is you're asking and we do away with tenure. As far as I'm concerned the only teachers I see who care somewhat are the newer ones. As for the rest of you who have been there since the year of the flood, you could care less. Even when there wasn't the question of a new contract very few of you stayed past 2:45 for extra help or made an effort to come in early to help a student.
When it costs a school district over $11,000 a year to educate one child, more than any private school in the area, then you teachers should act like private school teachers and not bite the hand that feeds you. Can we still maintain a high level of student performance with teachers who care only about their lack of a new contract? For those of you who aren't happy here, why don't you try another district. I know a lot of parents who would like to see new blood, but like myself won't speak up for fear of retribution toward our children. So the next time you pin that button on your chest just think about how the community really views it.
Disgruntled Taxpayer
