Give teachers more credit

This is a message to Ken Grow, who wrote a letter on Nov. 23, "Teachers don't have it bad." Mr. Grow, you must not have children or you would realize that if it weren't for our teachers, especially ones like Sandra Pope, our children would not stand a chance in this world.

You say that teaching is a parttime job. Have you ever driven by Willow Elementary at 8 p.m. and seen the light on in Ms. Pope's classroom because she is correcting tests and preparing lesson plans in her classroom every night? And for those teachers who do those tasks at home, do you think that correcting papers is not a part of their workday? They probably work more hours than you do, I'd venture to say.

You say that teachers make plenty of money. Can you live in California on $40,000 per year? I challenge you to try.

You say that "the reality is that any intelligent adult could teach children." Why don't you try it? Try stimulating and challenging a room of 33 children, age 10, for seven hours and teaching them subjects like algebra, which is what they are learning in fifth grade these days. I challenge you to just control those kids for seven hours straight each day. Let's see how you would feel.

You say that "parents, not teachers, set the foundation for their kids." You are wrong. The role of parents cannot be understated, but in order to create selfsufficient young adults, there must be a partnership between the parents and teachers.

It is an outrage that you could say those disparaging things about a woman that has accepted a meager salary for the past 30 years, never affording the finer things so that she could nobly teach our children. I, for one, am forever indebted to her and the rest of the wonderful Las Virgenes teachers. As a working mom, I never could have begun to teach my children all that they needed to know in life. I thank these teachers from the bottom of my heart. I vote yes for every single property tax increase that goes to the schools and so should you. Donna Herbert Agoura Hills