Responses to teacher walkouts and protests over better pay
Re: “Fines, jail for striking teachers?” April 24 news article
Across the country public school teacher are demonstrating years of underfunding for the education of our children. Isn’t it telling that Republican state Rep. Paul Lundeen and Sen. Bob Gardner want a bill to punish striking teachers rather than doing their job of securing adequate funding for K-12 in Colorado. I think it’s clear striking teachers are not the problem, cowardly politicians who posture and refuse to do their jobs are. Frank Locker, Berthoud
So teachers have the “right” to walk out of school without teaching. So students have the “right” to walk out of school without being expelled. So school administrators have the “right” to shut down schools they are paid to govern.
So what about my rights as a school taxpayer? If I don’t pay those taxes, I can go to jail. My right is to expect the foregoing to discharge their duties. It is plain that I am being cheated. It is time to overturn Amendment 23. Clearly it is never time to place another such lock on the taxpayer’s wallet. Eugenie Roscoe, Golden
State Sen. Bob Gardner’s proposed bill prohibiting Colorado teachers from going on strike is, to say the least, draconian. Gardner wants striking teachers to face fines, imprisonment, and possible firing without a hearing. The senator once again demonstrates the reason there is a nationwide teacher shortage and a high turnover among new teachers. The GOP spends an inordinate amount of time attacking education at all levels and while some conspiracy theorists believe the attacks are part of a far-reaching scheme to end public education and turn schools into privately run, for-profit institutions, I think Gardner’s preposterous proposal is simply another mean-spirited attack on underpaid and under-appreciated educators. Douglas Hawk, Denver
There is no better return on investment than investing in our children’s education. It’s the old saying, “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.”
Raise my taxes. Volunteer at a school. Mentor a child. David Stevenson, Denver
As a retired teacher of 32 years, I felt compelled to respond to the article, and state Sen Bob Gardner’s statement, “Strikes are not good for children.” Neither is poor funding! Colorado teachers are down 15 percent in pay since 1999 when inflation is taken in consideration! Has your pay gone down Mr Gardner? Yeah, I didn’t think so! Jean Howell, Centennial