Teachers do more than you can imagine, political stunt

Teachers do more than you can imagine

I thought the days of having to defend the teaching profession  were over; parents gained a more realistic picture of the profession when remote learning was ubiquitous and they had to take a more active role in their children’s education.

A reader says that police officers “forfeit holidays, weekends” and “teachers have summers off” [“Don’t compare pay of cops to teachers,” Letters, May 3]. I’m a retired English teacher (33 years) who rarely had a summer off. Honestly, I never made enough to support my family on my teaching salary alone. My weekends were so often spent evaluating my students’ essays and reports that my own kids said, “Dad, multiple choice!”

I was never paid overtime for late days at school, for meetings, for visiting parents to discuss their child’s progress. More important, my profession is not less significant.

Yes, I didn’t need to respond to burglaries or “remove people from car accidents,” but I made a powerful difference in my students’ lives. My last day of teaching, 23 years ago, began a retirement of memories and of former-student gratitude for lessons learned, the real payment for my vocation.

I don’t begrudge police for the pay they earn keeping the public safe. But don’t deny teachers their due for keeping the public educated.

Hank Cierski, Port Jefferson Station

Pelosi's Ukraine trip a mere political stunt

We shouldn't be shocked by the recent U.S. congressional trip to Ukraine ["Kudos for Pelosi’s remarks in Ukraine," Letters, May 4]. It was a pure political stunt. Why were no Republican members in attendance? Yes, support is urgent, but not as political tomfoolery.

The Ukrainian president doesn’t need photo ops — he needs help.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip demonstrates to the world the political division here in the United States. We need a unifier, not a divider.

Andrew Jassin, Oceanside