Low pay is reason for substitute 'shortage'

I am writing in regards to the article (Nov. 3, 2004) that Lake Pend Oreille School District has a substitute teacher shortage.

1. There is a surplus of certified teachers in the area and only so many salaried teaching positions available. Therefore, those certified teachers who aren't salaried full time must either substitute teach or find other work.

2. Substitute teaching pays only $50 per day (before taxes) if non-certified, or $60 per day (before taxes) if fully certified as a teacher. These pay-per-day amounts have remained the same for the last 11 or 12 years. Repeat: There has been no pay increase for substitute teachers for the past 11 or 12 years.

3, Many certified teachers either have families to support, or education loans to pay back, and simply put, substitute teaching in Lake Pend Oreille School District does not pay enough. Waitressing pays better than substitute teaching. And you will find many certified teachers doing just that.

4. If it appears there is a shortage, there really isn't. Most of the substitute teachers know who the poor teachers are and choose not to take those assignments. (Those teachers usually have low-quality lesson plans for the sub, and/or have little to no discipline in the classroom — thus making for a very tough day for any sub). When those assignments aren't filled by substitute teachers, the district panics and thinks there is a shortage. Why would a sub making only $5.50/hour after taxes take on classrooms that are chaotic and undisciplined? There is no shortage of subs for the good teachers.

My daughter is a substitute teacher. It is a tough job. Many times she has come home in tears from having to deal with undisciplined students who do everything in their power to "get away" with anything they can because the regular classroom teacher has not set down guidelines or expectations with the students.

Subs have no benefits, and poor wages in Lake Pend Oreille School District. Go over the border to Washington state and subs make twice what they do here.

Lake Pend Oreille should do everything in its power to keep quality certified teachers and pay them what they are worth. Our students deserve that.

JAMES STRATMORE

Sagle