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Lux: Living wage needed to lure workers

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In response to Sybil Francis, president and CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona, I’d like to point out that the groups she’s promoting to get the $700,000 in public school funding would be administrative uses. This means conventions, conferences and trips for administrators. I feel a few areas where her basic concept of giving $700,000 to administrative uses is not helping students or teachers. If an administer leaves the building, education continues.

As a retired teacher, I know that the building is run by the secretary and custodians, and education takes place only if teachers are there doing their job. So, is it wise to place that $700,000 in areas that give students equipment and comfortable, safe buildings so they can learn and compete with their peers in the world?

Would it be wise to place funds in the budget to enlarge the number of teachers in a school so that classes are small enough, especially in basic skills, early learning classes, where every kid who raises his hand has time for the teacher to call on the child before the bell rings?

Would it be wise to even put more of the $700,000 into raises for teachers who are the only ones who can make education happen? Good teachers aren’t going to come from kids who look at the jobs market and see that teachers are paid as though they are not important or respected members of the professional world.

You don’t attract workers, including teachers, if you don’t pay a decent living wage.

Lorie Lux
Sun City West