Teachers deserve to be well-paid

To the Editor:

I attended the school board meeting March 7 to clarify some information I had read. I asked for confirmation of the contracts offered to Superintendent Dixon and Treasurer Gainer. These contracts total $2.5 million for the next 5 years. No one could or would answer my question. [Board of Education President] Register replied that he did not have the figures in front of him, and asked for me to contact him further. I did the next day. He responded with a phone call requesting me to put my request in writing and submit it to Mr. Gainer. I did this also. I left a letter for Mr. Gainer on Monday, March 13. No response as of yet.

[Editor’s note: This letter was submitted on March 14; as of March 23, the letter writer said she had not received a response. On March 23, Scott Gainer said in an e-mail that a response was sent “to her home address by mail earlier this week.”]

I [also] asked if it was true that the teachers have been offered zero percent raise for this year, with added cost of benefits, and raises of 1 percent for the next two years after that. Mr. Register responded that negotiations are ongoing and no comment could be given. I understand that. Teachers in the district have been given this information, and a vote will soon be taken.

Supt. Dixon recently suggested in a letter on the [district’s] website that teachers make about $115,000 with benefits. Most teachers make about half that. Correct me if I am wrong. This misinformation seems to be intentionally misleading, especially in the middle of contract negotiations.

I sincerely wish the school board would be as eager to reward the teachers as they seem to be agreeable to reward two individuals for this district. How will this district keep our fine teachers, or attract new ones, when this is the appreciation shown? I am anxiously awaiting the opening of the beautiful new high school. I hope it will be filled with well-paid teachers as well.

Mary Sickbert

Mary Sickbert [a retired CH-UH district teacher]
Cleveland Heights

Read More on Letters To The Editor
Volume 10, Issue 4, Posted 7:21 PM, 03.30.2017