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Letter: Want to increase teacher pay? Implement year-round school, hourly wage

The Editor, Re. “ No rush on B.C. teachers’ deal (also, pay them a lot more) ” (Opinion, The Tri-City News, July 11), “ This retired teacher says teachers are already paid enough ” (Letters, tricitynews.com July 20) and “ B.C.
teacher

The Editor, 

Re. “No rush on B.C. teachers’ deal (also, pay them a lot more)” (Opinion, The Tri-City News, July 11), “This retired teacher says teachers are already paid enough” (Letters, tricitynews.com July 20) and “B.C. teachers need raises to catch up with the rest of Canada” (Letters, tricitynews.com, July 22). 

I would like to add my thoughts on the recent editorial and letters regarding the current contract negotiation for B.C. teachers. 

I think that it is time to consider a different compensation method altogether. A salary may have been the correct method 100 years ago, but perhaps an hourly wage is now a more appropriate method. 

Currently, teachers only work part-time, based on a historical need. Perhaps it is time to look at year-round schooling, thereby increasing teacher hours to full-time. This would automatically allow an increase in their pay. 

Summer school is currently available anyway. Why not streamline it all and make it a choice for parents which semester their child attends? 

As for the increase in independent educational plans (IEPs), it is also time that every student be provided with one. Every student is unique and will have a unique set of goals; this would eliminate the stigma that is currently attached to students with IEPs. 

E. Foxhill, Coquitlam