To the editor:

Our wonderful, dedicated and hard-working teachers and paraprofessionals are asking to earn what they are worth. We need to compensate them well.

As a district parent of two students and as a school volunteer, I have spent many hours in our schools, working alongside teachers and paraprofessionals. I have stories too numerous to recount of teachers and staff going far beyond their job descriptions to do the right thing and care for our students and their families.

Lawrence Public Schools has so, so much to be proud of. A community has no bigger bragging right than to boast of its quality schools. Up to this point, Lawrence has been no exception. But now, we have teachers leaving the district to teach in other counties — because the pay is more, yes, but also because they feel respected and appreciated for all the extra time, thought and effort that they give to their jobs every single day. Don’t you want our teachers and paras to feel that way? Or, would you rather them leave here, thus communicating that Lawrence Public Schools is not the place to work if you want to be valued and appreciated?

I personally cannot think of any better use of my tax dollars than to show the teachers and paras of Lawrence Public Schools how much they mean to us. Every day I would be willing to give money toward that. Please, turn the tide of these negotiations and make greater compensation — and the broader message of appreciation — a priority!

Emily Mulligan,

Lawrence