The recent awarding of nearly $700 million in education funding is a positive development for schools throughout the state, including those here in New York City. Hopefully, some portion of this money will be able to be used to help give raises to the teachers in the city public school system.
We are still working under the expired contract of Oct. 31, 2009, and we still do not have a new contract nor a well-deserved pay raise. The city Department of Education and the United Federation of Teachers need to negotiate a new contract that is fair to the teachers and will give them a decent pay raise. We teachers have bills to pay, like all other city, state and federal workers.
Salaries do not increase, but expenses on everything from food to rent to mortgages and credit card payments continue to increase. Give the hardworking and dedicated teachers of this city a fair and decent pay raise.
John Amato
Fresh Meadows
