Not sorry for teachers

Dear Editor,

I sincerely hope that the teachers in this school district and their union reps read last week’s Star-Observer. If they didn’t already know it, and it would seem that they do not, people in Hudson, surrounding cities and towns, and St. Croix County are in dire straits.

Lost homes, lost jobs, no raises, reduced pay and increased taxes have taken a major toll on all of us financially. My son lost his engineering job at Toro in February and has yet to find permanent employment. My wife has not had a raise at her employer in two years. Her company is in the process of moving their department to Panama and she may be out of a job in a year and a half.

I lost my 3M job of 27 years several years ago and started a handyman service because there was nothing out there for a 51-year-old guy. The home directly across the street from me has been foreclosed on along with the one behind it!

And yet through all of these area hardships they are demanding a 6 percent pay raise over the next two years. Are these people for real? Wake up and see what is happening to your neighbors, that is, if you live in Hudson and actually contribute to the tax base. I say give them nothing like everyone else is getting.

We cannot afford even higher taxes for these prima donnas. Be happy you have a job that only requires that you be in the building for eight and a half months a year with all the time off during the session and summers.

Let them go on strike. I am sure there are plenty of people out there with no job that are accredited teachers that would gladly fill their chairs.

I am so tired about hearing about the poor teachers. Can’t deal with increased class sizes. Kids won’t learn, they say. Maybe we need better teachers who can teach a bigger class. What a concept. My class sizes in high school were much larger than we have here, yet I somehow managed to receive a degree from a Big Ten school. I didn’t turn out stupid.

If the School Board approves this ridiculous request, given the current financial climate, they should be voted out of office next time around. If the teachers cry about no raises, let all of them go out and look for different employment. Call me if you find any.

Tags: opinion, letters, teachers, raises