To the Editor:
A recent headline in a local newspaper read: “How Much do the Teachers in Bayonne Make?” Inside the article indicates that the median salary increased by $3,735. I am sure the immediate reaction of a taxpayer was, “Why do the teachers complain about not having a contract?”
My response begins with the reminder that the teachers went without a contract for five years! Now, let us do the math. Five years into $3,735 is $747; the school year of 10 months into $747 is $74. Four weeks in a month divided into $74 is $19. Five days a week into $19 is about $4. Is this a raise?
Also, during these five years, did the price of food stay the same, are bus and train fares the same, are medical expenses the same. Gas may be lower but did the tolls stay the same, and especially in the case of Bayonne is your water bill the same? This seems to indicate income was actually lost.
When a family wants to purchase something, the primary concern is “quality.” Children are the most precious possessions in society. The key to success is education. Please consider these three sentences in deciding to appreciate the integral role of a teacher in the quality education of precious children.
CHARLES NUZIALE
Guidance Counselor
Bayonne High School