Letter: Benefits are clear; support unions, teachers

I am a non-unionized worker with a very good salary and benefits package, and I am worried about the future of my kids and grandkids.

Of course, it would benefit me financially to join the conservative ranks who expect “no new taxes” for themselves while at the same time demanding that teachers take even less money home in their paychecks. But I appreciate that I earn what I do today because of the excellent education I received from my teachers.

These educators provided the foundation I needed to go on to college and obtain an advanced degree in a challenging and marketable technical field. While no one likes to pay taxes, I see money paid toward education as money well spent.

If my parents and community hadn’t supported education in the way that they did, I seriously question if I’d be where I am today. We must consistently invest in our schools and teachers if future generations are to have the same opportunities for success that many of us now enjoy.

Surely we all can agree that our kids deserve an education which lays the foundations for prosperity in an increasingly competitive global economy.

But this only happens if, as a society, we commit the financial resources to supporting strong schools and committed teachers. It’s an investment that provides solid future returns.

Tags: opinion, letters, politics, troy