Called ‘working for a living’





This letter is in defense of Ken Grow’s letter of Nov. 23, “Teachers don’t have it bad.” Many teachers wrote in, saying they would like to see Mr. Grow spend a day in the classroom. I would like to invite these teachers to spend a day with me at my job in the real world.

First they would have to get out of bed at 3 a.m. Then they would commute to LAX, start work at 4:30 a.m., work 10 hours and commute home. Throw in presentations, audits and inspections and I can work 15 hours a day, often going in on weekends and holidays.

I don’t consider myself “overworked and underpaid.” It’s called working for a living and I’m glad to have a satisfying job that helps pay the bills.

Like teachers, I wear many hats. Most of our workers are non-English-speaking ex-gang members and never finished high school (could this be a failure of the “village” it takes “to raise a child”?).

If my company does not live up to client expectations and industry standards, the customer gives 60-day notice and goes to the competitor. Many people could lose their job, including me.

Once teachers are tenured, they are set for life with pensions and medical benefits. I do not get a pension. My wife, who is self-employed, not only doesn’t get a pension, she doesn’t get health benefits or paid time off.

One teacher writes, “I am not sure what Ken Grow does for a living.” My guess is he runs a successful business where it’s produce or lose the client and your income.

So teachers, you really don’t have it so bad. Take Ken
Grow’s advice and go back to the classroom and make the taxpayers proud.
Robert Ranallo Westlake Village




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