Dear Editor:
It was unsettling for me to read a letter to the editor printed on Feb. 14 by a person who has the same name as me and also lives in Burnaby but has a different opinion on many matters including this (Will teacher take a pay cut to pay for increased costs?, Letters to the editor, Burnaby NOW, Feb. 14).
I have the highest regard for teachers, the B.C. Teachers' Federation and the Burnaby Teachers' Association. The BCTF and local unions do an excellent job representing teachers and education in this province. They have the desire, insight, practical classroom experience, professional training, necessary skills and knowledge to advocate for the educational needs of all children in this province. They've spent years in the trenches fighting every inch of the way to improve learning conditions for children of all needs and abilities in British Columbia.
The suggestion, "perhaps the teacher could take a bit of a pay cut" is unfair, and demonstrates a lack of understanding. B.C. is one of Canada's richest provinces and yet B.C. teachers are one of the lowest in Canada on the pay scale. The cost of living in the Lower Mainland is near the top in global comparisons. Shouldn't teachers receive a fair wage?
The author in the Feb. 14 article assumes that the workload will decrease. That is not necessarily true. Furthermore, research shows that smaller class sizes and adequate support for special needs students results in better quality education. The students benefit in many ways, not just in higher test scores. Society benefits in the long run, too.
I am a retired Burnaby teacher who always wholeheartedly supports education and teachers in B.C. It is always disappointing when teachers' issues are misrepresented.
Larry Melnyk, Burnaby
