I thought it was unfair of Becky Gudgell Baggett (Dec. 2, 2000, Deseret News Readers' Forum) to imply the teacher's strike would ruin everything she and her husband have taught their child about not pouting, complaining, kicking and/or screaming in order to get his way. Hopefully, her child is better taught than to have one instance ruin him!
In fact, instead of sarcastically thanking UEA members for the one-day strike, she should sincerely thank them. If she truly doesn't like this tactic, then use it to teach her child. If she's worried it will be a bad example to her son, sit down together and say: "Look at the teachers. Is that the way they should be acting? How should teachers act? What can we learn from the way the teachers are acting? What can we do to help the teachers?"
Maybe she could use this opportunity to teach her child about budgeting, or she could have her child write the legislators a letter: "Dear Legislator, Please give my teachers money. It makes me sad when they don't come to school because they don't have enough money."
I also don't understand her disappointment in the teachers wanting a pay raise. A teacher loves children and really does want the children to have more. But just because they want more for the children doesn't mean they can't want more for themselves as well. Have you been in a classroom lately? . It is tough to accomplish all we expect them to do, and we pay them nearly nothing to do it. How insulting! Can't we do better?
Libby Fry
Layton