Jkppafjannocfe Jletos

Jkppafjannocfe Jletos

An Independent Newspaper Established 1877 Published Every Thursday

ARTHUR W. ARUNDEL, Publisher

JOHN T. Me EWAN, President

JOHN T. TOLER, Exec. Vice Pres.

BARBARA C. BURKE, General Manager WILLIAM WESLEY TALBOTT, Editor USA H. BURKE, Advertising

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OFFICE: Rappannock News Bldg., Washington, Va. 22747

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Published by the Rappahannock News, a division of Arundel Newspapers, Inc.

Member, Audit Bureau of Circulation.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27,1986

Enough

Each year, as budget time approaches, teachers demand higher salaries.

It is a rite of spring.

The teachers in Rappahannock, like teachers everywhere, have tough jobs. The hours are often ridiculously long. Many evenings and weekends are spent by teachers preparing lesson plans and grading papers and exams. Teacher involvement in extracurricular activities is another burden which takes a great amount of time.

While most teachers feel that it is rewarding to see children grow and develop, the long hours spent to ensure this development are both physically and mentally tiring.

The salaries for this labor are not good — not in Rappahannock or anywhere else. Many teachers have left the profession because of “burn-out” and because of too little money. For them the two-month summer holiday is not enough compensation.

Those who have chosen to become teachers have known all along that they could not become wealthy in this field. Just a few years ago they knew they could not even make enough to have a decent living.

Teachers have become teachers because of other motivations. There are probably as many reasons for becoming a teacher as there are teachers.

Whatever the motivations, we salute good teachers. As the bumper sticker says, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.”

In recent years salaries have risen in this profession. They are still not great salaries, but risen they have.

Teacher salaries are usually a direct reflection of the county in which teachers practice. This county, which raised salaries significantly last year, is predominantly rural. Many people here are farmers.

What farmers are now facing is a lot tougher than anything teachers face. Farmers know no benefit packages or two month vacations. They do know what tough work is and we salute those who provide food for our tables under some of the worst conditions imaginable.

Teacher salaries are paid for by taxes. Rappahannock County Board of Supervisor member Nelson Lane, who spoke at the school board meeting of February 18, said, “I could vote to raise taxes and probably live through it, but many people here could not live through it. ”

This year teachers are seeking a higher salary for beginning, staff.

These teachers, some fresh from college, are currently nudb ing $13,618 for their 10 months of work. Speaking on behalf of what she said was 80% of the teachers, mathematics teacher Helen LaCava wants the ante raised to $15,897 per year.

Her remarks that teachers are paid less in Rappahannock than in other counties are correct. Her remarks that teachers here must work so much harder than those in urban environments is nonsense.

We are not Madison. We are not Culpeper. We are not Fauquier. And we certainly do not have the kinds of public school systems that exist in New York City or Washington, D.C. — where to teach on a daily basis may be considered an act of courage.

Fauquier is one county often cited by proponents of higher salaries in Rappahannock. Flip, if you will, through the classified section of The Fauquier Democrat and study their ads for housing. You will quickly see that we are not that county.

Our rents are lower in Rappahannock. And while there is less housing here — there are also fewer people searching for the available housing. It does take some perseverance to find rental housing in this county, but once found it is usually a lot less expensive than that in neighboring counties.

Last year this newspaper strongly supported raises for teachers. The increase (teachers complained it was not enough) was overdue. But this annual rite of spring in which teachers demand more and more money has become a ridiculous obsession. This insult to taxpayers, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet, has got to be resisted until times get better for all of the citizens in the county.