It is disappointing to see how Salt Lake City School District has changed since I was first hired to teach 32 years ago.
I was excited to be employed by a district committed to hiring the best teachers by offering one of the two top teacher pay scales in Utah.
I retired five years ago, but I support the teachers protesting recently to be heard by a seemingly deaf administration. Following a recent unproductive negotiations meeting, my sense is that Superintendent Lexi Cunningham’s unwillingness to address teachers’ concerns reflects what unfortunately happens to many in district leadership positions: They lose sight of what the job of a classroom teacher entails.
Forgotten are extra duties, training and assignments added to the primary role of teaching students — at no additional pay. Moreover, they become part of an insidious culture that does not respect or value teachers as professionals.
Don’t back down, Salt Lake City teachers. The district must recommit to hiring and keeping the best teachers by offering a top pay scale with multiple lanes and steps. Demand recognition that teachers are the linchpin of the system. Those at the top are not.
David Keyes, Salt Lake City