First, I want to thank the paper for publishing so many letters to the editor. I didn't cancel my paper when away last week because I didn't want to miss any letters.
Second, I am concerned about education and health care. We hear Republican candidates use the word "accountability." What that buzzword really means is Republicans want to eliminate teacher pay based on seniority and replace it with a corporate model. The problem is that the two systems are totally unlike.
In business, managers have the same raw materials, so they can measure outcomes and quality. If they are producing spoons, they can inspect and test the quality. They can count the number of spoons.
In education, each class is different. One third-grade class may have students who have had books as part of life from birth, while another third-grade class may have a high percentage of learning-disabled students, students with ADHD and EBD, English language learners, children who watch mommy get beaten up, girls who have been raped by a relative (yes, it happens here in Willmar), or a bully or two.
Teachers do not have the same raw materials each year, so to judge a teacher based on whether or not the test scores improved from last year is totally unfair. Are we not going to punish teachers by withholding wage increases? I want to thank Al Juhnke and Dean Johnson for the support they have given education over the years.
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Third, health care is increasingly expensive. I am a teacher who can't take early retirement because I can't afford health care. One of my retired friends pays $1,000 a month. Every person like me deprives a recent college graduate of a job. College students are forced to work full time if they need health insurance. One of my college students pays $800 a month. Recently, Republicans tried to cut insurance for the moderately poor. I thank Johnson and Juhnke for stopping those cuts.
Balancing the budget on the backs of poor families, young people, and retired citizens has got to stop.
Peggy Karsten
Willmar
