Our teachers deserve more respect

We live in the best country in the world and our First Amendment right gives us the freedom of speech.

Mr. Atkinson is entitled to his opinion (Pilot, April 9), however arrogant, intolerant and misguided it might be. I would like to point out that teachers and others are also afforded under the Constitution those same rights.

It was too bad that the school’s dirty laundry had to be publicized in such a way, but the teachers have every right to make their feelings known without being told to take a hike, leave, etc. Some of these teachers have been in this community a heck of a lot longer than Mr. Atkinson.

This situation could have been avoided and no surprise for the superintendent and the school board if they would have just taken the time to open the lines of communication with the teachers and asked for their input. There seems to be a lack of leadership from the top.

After all, aren’t we all supposed to be part of a team that is striving to do what is best for our students?

As a retired teacher and coach with 30 years of service in the school district, and as a parent of two students that benefited from a terrific educational experience in the Whitefish schools, my wife and I know we have some of the most dedicated, hard working, and talented teachers that you will find anywhere. Most of them go the extra mile, are much more than just teachers. They are expected to be counselors, advisors, mentors, and sometimes when needed they do more parenting than the parents themselves.

We need to hold our teachers in high esteem. After all they are working with people’s most valuable commodity: Their children and their future. How do you expect to attract our brightest and most talented to become teachers if we don’t respect the profession in salaries and prestige. No wonder the U.S. ranks 21st in the world for math and sciences.

At WHS our ACT composite score is 25.4, well above the national average of 21.1 and state average of 22. Our SAT combined score of 1602 is above the national average of 1509 and the state average of 1593.

Our test score average is often the best in the valley. We have one of the highest graduation rates in the valley. I could go on and on.

Mr. Atkinson is showing deep disrespect to the people that have been instrumental in these many accomplishments by our students, and they, the teachers, the ones in the trenches doing the hard work with our students, deserve an apology.

As far as teachers going through the motions, that is the job of the administrators to do the proper evaluations and have the guts to weed out the bad teacher when need be. In other words, they need to do their jobs.

What makes Mr. Atkinson think he can speak for the parents of this community? He certainly doesn’t speak for me and many others we know. Did he have any children go through our system? How much time has he spent in the classroom observing our teachers?

Great idea! Let us have a report card for teachers. Why don’t we just make it a personality contest? Teachers will solely teach so they can make their students happy. Too much homework, discipline, not a good enough grade. Mark down the teacher. Brilliant!

I guess that might be why you are not allowed to vote until you are 18, drink until you are 21.

Looking at my own experience, the teachers and coaches I respected the most were the ones that forced me out of my comfort zone, challenged me, made me overachieve. I didn’t like them. I respected them. I have a feeling that most of our teachers already ask their students for feedback.

Why don’t we have the teachers evaluate the superintendent, the school board and the building principals? Maybe that was what this survey was all about — it certainly has struck a nerve. I sincerely hope the school board and the superintendent address these concerns and work together in good faith with the staff to insure that the excellence that exists continues.

Kudos to all of you teachers who had the guts to make your feelings known and are looking out for the best interest of our students. You need to be commended.

— Julio Delgado