Show respect to substitute teachers

The conversation started with test scores (“A familiar pattern,” July 30) and led to a letter (“Santa Fe needs certified teachers,” Letters to the Editor, Aug. 2). Your coverage on our schools appears to be balanced and fair. Thank you for covering this issue.

I would like to add to this coverage by pointing out something — the lack of respect for substitute teachers. Substitutes are needed but are treated with a lack of respect by human resources, administration, other teachers and mostly by students. How can the teacher shortage and poor test scores be addressed without giving the proper professional respect to these people?

I was hired as a full-time substitute (this was my title, for real) and I lasted about 10 days because disruptive students were allowed to show no respect. I have no ax to grind here. I’m just saying the system has the wrong priorities. None of which involves substitute teachers.

Barney Magrath Santa Fe