Subject: Labor: Hey Larry, The teachers aren’t being paid too much; it’s more like the rest of us in the private sector are being paid too little.

RESPONSE: HUH? You must be one of those who failed 8th grade math. Note the sad reality that the comprehensive 8th Grade Math test for Mullica School students show over 25% of students failing that test...and we brag about what a 'gem' our school system is and what a great job our over paid teachers are doing. HUH?

The numbers are ugly...and represent a piece of coal more than a 'gem' for our kids. The depressing fact that American students rank 21st out of 30 industrialized nations in science and 25th in math. The canard that teachers have marketed to justify their overly generous salary, that they are doing a superior job, is an ugly deceit that bodes ill for our country. More than one out of four of our students here in Mullica fail the 8th grade math test...and we are told we should be proud of the job being done by Mullica teachers and administrators...and you tell us they are not being paid too much? Obviously, your stupidity is more than in the area of math.

The obscene numbers show that the median salary for 9 months of work for a Mullica teacher is over $60,000. The median FAMILY income in New Jersey for 12 months of work is under $50,000. So, for working three months less and representing half of the income of a family...a Mullica teacher is being paid more than an extra $10,000. And a good proportion of those who are workers in the private real world and fall into the median category of earning under $50,000 are also paying for their family health insurance. For Mullica teachers, we the dumb Mullica taxpayers are paying an extra $15,000 over the median salary for their benefits package. If one were to factor in benefits and and the extra 3 months of work...the average Mullica teacher is being paid around $100,000...this funded on the back of a community whose average family income is below the State median. Mullica's teachers are selfish over paid PIGS!!!

With teacher contract negotiations this year...it will be interesting to see if the new Board member(s) who runs a large business gets it (Terence Watson). There are limited resources...a limited pool of money...to expend a larger portion on larger salary increases for staff...instead of spending dollars to increase the viability of the product...that, by the way would be the students. To NOT spend on computers and upgrades of better curriculum books and instead give already over paid teachers more money...is to steal from the education of our children. DUH!!!