Something For Everyone

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Basic Skills, Lacking":

Many people moved to this school district because they felt that Plainview has a good reputation and perhaps couldn't afford to live in the towns where the top rated are located. In this day and age, it would be difficult to move to an area with higher home prices and taxes as well as being able to sell one's own home.
Overall this community does show interest in their children's education and supports the teachers. The teachers should be able to teach all the children in the community with success. Most of these children come to school well cared for and ready to learn, with parents that are willing to help.

The schools are not all bad, instead of moving, there is nothing wrong with expecting and demanding Plainview to improve their schools. Why would dedicated teachers and administrators want this as well?

In support of the teachers, my children have had some very good teachers throughout the years and I have seen for myself, despite the lack of a contract, they are just as dedicated this year. (Which they should be) The one thing that parents should instill in their children is respect for teachers and the act of learning. In all classes, especially middle school and high school, children will learn more effectively, if they are respectful and listen to the teacher. My child has told me of many instances in the middle school of students not paying attention and disrupting the learning for all the students. Yes, the teacher and the principal of the school should be able to address this problem, but parents also must instill this in their children.

It is unfair to parents, to say that children need tutors because parents aren't helping them at home. The children that need the most help are often the ones unwilling to let their parent's help them at home. Ideally, homework should be work that the child can do independently. Unfortunately, especially in the younger grades, the kids that "get it" don't need the homework to learn the material and the one's that don't, need help with it. Providing homework help in the younger grades would provide a valuable service to the children that need that extra support.

In addition, if teachers aren't happy with what is offered, they too can get a job in another district. I know this would probably be just as difficult as buying a another home, since most of the schools on Long Island also have unions.

In my opinion, the PCT, should accept the offer that is on the table and move on. We should be working together, to educate the children. Hopefully, better economic times are around the corner and in years to come the salaries can be increased. The PCT appears greedy at this time, with many people out of work and with many people not receiving raises in years. The average salary of the teachers are average for Long Island and that's what they should be. This is a school that performs at an average level for this area and is not as affluent as many of the higher performing districts. Yes, the superintendent is highly paid and the teacher's salary dispute is not the only problem with the taxes being high in this school district. Right now it is the salary dispute that is on the table and needs to addressed. It was brought to the attention of parents by the teachers. Only then, can the board then concentrate on improving education and making the district run on a more fiscally responsible budget.