What you don't know WILL

hurt you!  Local teachers and staff are prepared to go on strike tomorrow in my town.  As a former employee of 21 years, I am here to tell you some things you may not know.  For several years before I retired, we did not get a raise.  I have been retired for 3 years.  You do the Math.  Our Special Education did not receive any funding, and had to do with what we could be given.  Our books were 8-10 years old and had to be copied for the kids to have lessons.  Teachers and support staff are paid on a 10 month contract.  Yes!  I said 10 months.  So for those of you who think teachers and other staff are paid through the summer, the way they do it is to break the 10 month salary into 12 months.  Do the math.  Many of these employees have summer jobs to augment their salary.  No, teachers do not have summers off.  They are working another job and preparing for the next school year.  Many are doing both.  How do you think those lessons we teach appear every year?  I am discouraged at the fact our union has not let some of this information out to the public.  They have made up their own story about things and it is time they become aware of what teachers, and school employees in general do.  I suggest you spend 10 months with kids every day trying to help them learn, in poorly equipped  classrooms, with overcrowding and a miriad of behaviors and abilities.  It takes a very special person!  Support them!