It's time for another change to system

To Tom Luna, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction, with copies to our state legislators.

“We support your reforms. The people you hear from most are activists who have a personal stake in the status quo. It’s not about students; there is no proof the new plan would harm education. It might greatly improve education, but they just want things to stay the way they are.

Some get tenure — job safety that we, the taxpayers, who pay their salaries, do not have on our jobs. They get pensions and other post-employment benefits we do not get. Through giant unions they negotiate these benefits, while we have no power to do that. We get raises based on our skills; they get raises automatically.

We support bigger class sizes. We got an excellent public education decades ago in classes of at least 30 students.

We support the elimination of 770 teacher jobs, by attrition, when a teacher leaves or retires, so teachers won’t “lose” any jobs.

On the job, most taxpayers have no seniority, no contract. We can be fired at any time. In the U.S., industries have vanished, replaced by newer, better methods (buggy whips versus cars, for example). People lose jobs and find new ways to make a living. Why are teachers exempt?

Please stand up for the vast majority who work under terms far inferior to teachers, even though we pay their salaries. Our educational system has seen many changes over time. It’s time for another change. Just do it.”

JOANNA and KARL FUCHS

Cocolalla