To the editor:

I have worked in USD 497 since 1988, served on the Lawrence Education Association’s negotiations committee for six years, and co-facilitated negotiations between the board of education/administration and the teachers’ organization for three years. The board/administration’s standard argument against competitive Lawrence teacher salaries has been that if they improve salaries now, they cannot pay them in the future. The board/administration now presents that same argument when they propose reducing health care coverage and giving teachers a one-time payment of $350 rather than a base raise.

Rather than talking about the future, it’s time to address the present. Because of this kind of thinking, outstanding teachers leave Lawrence as salaries lag farther behind, workloads increase unabated, morale sinks and now the word among education majors at some universities and colleges is to keep Lawrence only as a backup for employment.

In 2007-08, Lawrence teachers ranked 88th in average salary and benefits compared with other Kansas districts and dropped to 98th in 2008-09. Meanwhile, compensation for Lawrence principals rose from 38th to 35th. Children of beginning teachers supporting a four-person household qualify for free/reduced lunches. With the current board/administration proposal, Lawrence’s teachers’ salary/benefit ranking will continue to plummet.

Now is the time for the board/administration to reinvest in our children’s education, to affirm their stated commitment to attract and retain quality teachers by placing all new salary monies onto the regular salary schedule and maintaining 2008-09 benefit levels. It’s time to attend to the present. The future is now.