From the Email InBox: Police Activity and School Strike

Gramps:

I am concerned with the increase in Drug, and Alcohol related crimes. The crimes related to substance abuse include, battery, domestic violence, sexual assaults, and disorderly conduct of all sorts. In addition to these behaviors in order to fund the use of mind altering chemicals be they liquid or other we are seeing an increase in thefts and break ins, and robbery.

By increasing the number of Liquor Licenses, tolerating the neighbor's loud party, or the blind eye to the beginning of the infraction just promotes the problem and the impact it has on the individual, their family, and the community. Grand Terrace and the citizens there in should not be enablers to the addicted amongst us and when their conduct steps over the line of legal it should be dealt with on the first inch not yards later.

A Tough Love approach will minimize the damage done by the individual, and perhaps minimize the trouble they find themselves in by not letting it get bigger and bigger.

From the Email InBox: School Strike:

Please, advise your students to go to school, leave the negotiations to the Board Room and School Board Meeting. School budgets are always tough. Those of you with degrees, I highly recommend you support your students, and teachers and become a Substitute for the duration of the strike. It does not benefit anyone for there to be a substitute shortage during the strike.

Those of you who serve as teachers during this time will be getting a glimpse into the lives of a teacher. Teachers work hard there is no doubt that if it can be done, they should be paid more. We expect them to do the work they do, and live on an income that most with a degree would turn down as an annual income. For the district to say they work 184 days is a way of suggesting that they don't work all that much for the income.

Those of us who work at a "Normal" job work:

365 minus 108 weekend days = 257 days minus 12 legal holidays= 245 days minus 14 Personal Vacation Days= 231 Work Days for the average non... teacher... that means the Teachers have 46 Days Off Work. Some work during the summer to add to their income... however some of those work days are during the winter and spring breaks and getting a part time temp job would be the only added income during those periods. Further more teachers being hired during summer months has never been sufficient to provide income close to other professionals.

So the fact that they work 185 days is not a justification for not paying them an income sufficient to attract qualified professionals and provide a living condition conducive to their retention in the field of education.

How many managers of 20 to 150 employees are paid 60,000.00 per year? How many of us bring home hours of work every day? If we want our children educated, we must respect the educators, and provide a best school situation. It can't be done over night, but we should look long and hard at the nature of teaching, schools, teachers and the institution.