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TO
THE EDITOR
(If
you would like to comment on anything you have read in Education
Update or on anything about education click here to send an email
to the editor)
To
the Editor:
I have just finished participating in PENCIL’s Principal For A
Day program and would like to make a suggestion to the City of
New York regarding the attraction of good, qualified teachers.
Not only is salary an issue, but housing is as well. The City
should consider subsidized housing for teachers who have signed
a valid, one-year contract with the Board of Education to be renewed
annually.
New rental buildings should have an allotted amount of apartments
for teachers, and those apartments going off the rent controlled
and rent stabilized status should be offered to teachers.
New buildings could be devoted to housing teachers, and I am sure
other creative options could be thought of by the powers-that-be.
And I am certain that if the Trumps and Rudins of NYC were approached,
they would “step up to the plate.” Of course, the trade off to
the property owners would be a tax credit issued by the City.
We need innovative programs to help Chancellor Harold Levy continue
to improve our public education system and to support these devoted
teachers who, day-in and day-out, are responsible for our children.
Nancy
Ploeger
Executive Director,
Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
To
the Editor:
Everyone agrees that something needs to be done to solve the shortage
of math and science teachers. When attempting to find a solution,
we need to consider that teaching math and science is a talent,
not just a profession and not everyone who has a certificate to
teach has the talent to do so. Academic qualifications are the
bones of teaching, but without the flesh of excitement and enthusiasm,
the skeleton will only scare our students.
Shortage of good math and science teachers is a worldwide phenomenon.
In New York City it has become an emergency. According to Chancellor
Harold Levy in your October, 2000, issue, “colleges simply cannot
supply enough teachers to meet demands.” If this is true, then
the time has come to bring in excellent math and science teachers
from other countries on job visas.
Frank
Luke
Bellerose, NY
Education Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001. Tel:
(212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919. Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express consent of
the publisher. © 2001.
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