Readers Write: High salaries behind public school struggles

The Island Now

A recent article in the Manhasset Times reported that teachers and public school advocates opposed charter schools because they divert funding from “already struggling public schools.” (Oppose charter school package: teachers to Phillips, March 27, 2017). The comment deserves further discussion.

Exactly what are “struggling public schools”?

It appears the teacher-protesters “struggle” to maintain a public school system whereby approximately 60 to 70 percent of property taxes are funneled into public schools where 60 to 70 percent of school budgets are spent on teacher salaries and benefits:  teacher compensation that increase annually by 3 to 5 percent regardless of an inflation rate of less than 2 percent and regardless of teacher merit.

According to a report from the state Comptrollers Office, over the past decade, public school spending increased  38.5 percent as enrollment declined 7.6 percent.

Apparently, the teacher-protester struggle is to keep your child in the public school system to finance ever increasing public school salaries, benefits, union dues.

On the other hand,  parents, religious leaders and many great teachers struggle for the civil right of school choice whether public, charter or religious school:  the right to fund the child, not the public school establishment.

Laurann Pandelakis

Manhasset

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