I am writing to support the Maine School Administrative District 75 teachers, who are working without a contract.
I was surprised to learn this when I attended Open House in early September. For some reason, the School Board has not acted to negotiate a contract but is now in fact finding. Didn’t we – the voters – just approve $600,000 to support our teachers?
Why are some members of the School Board so opposed to paying a fair wage? Instead of paying lawyers to find facts, I am happy to help. Here is a fact I found in a Forecaster story published in the April 26 Portland Press Herald: Last year, “20-year teachers at Mt. Ararat (High School) have seen just under a $1,400 pay increase over the past 10 years, compared with $9,700 at Brunswick High School, nearly $18,200 at Morse High School, and about $10,700 at Freeport High School.”
Here is another fact. Last year, Regional School Unit 1 in Bath paid its 20-year teachers with a master’s degree $76,700, while MSAD 75 paid theirs $54,300.
And if I may, one more fact – and this one school board members will just have to trust me is true – people will travel a few miles down Route 1 to make nearly $20,000 more teaching.
As a matter of fact, MSAD 75 teachers are leaving for other, greener pastures, and soon MSAD 75 classrooms will be filled with the best and brightest first-year teachers – who can’t find jobs in neighboring towns – that money can buy.
It’s time to put into action what the voters approved.
Gregory Greenleaf
Harpswell
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