Reader Responses

Our youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and knowing this I am always interested when I read about our education programs and our educators.

This is what drew my attention to your article about the hiring of two new principals in TISD. As the article continued it discussed the International Baccalaureate program and concerns at John Tyler.

We must provide excellent opportunities to our students, and parents must demand of their children to do their best academically. All of this together enriches the lives of everyone.

However, not just a good program, but in education the key components are the administrators and teachers. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can be accomplished on a campus without dedicated teachers. However, a poor administrator can break and destroy the drive of a good teacher.

I know nothing personally about John Tyler, but the statement "in the last eight years has cited John Tyler for high teacher turnover" caught my attention. For any school this is a red flag. The turnover rate in schools is significant.

The Longview News April 20 published an article about a survey conducted by researchers at Sam Houston State University. This survey was sponsored by the Texas State Teachers Association.

"Low morale appears to play a bigger role than the small paychecks for teachers who are quitting..." Poor working conditions were cited by 42 percent as their reasons for quitting. They did not define poor working conditions, but teachers perform best when they are appreciated, treated with respect by their supervisors, and are given an opportunity to be heard.

We need our teachers! Let us examine our schools carefully and see what improvements or changes need to be made.

Jean Brown
Waskom