I am so tired of people bashing teachers, as the writer of the letter “We must privatize public education” (June 16, TribLive) did. It seems from his letter that he got more than an eighth grade education.

Bear in mind that a teacher tries to keep 180-plus students’ attention every day, five days a week. Look at the dangers: Teachers risk their lives defending their students, as we have seen across this nation, with some killed for it.

The writer complains that teachers make $70,000 a year “doing as little for it as they possibly can.” There are poor teachers, just as there are poor attorneys, doctors and auto mechanics, etc. If you are complaining of making less than $70,000 a year, why didn’t you become a teacher and reap that wonderful salary and the benefits that come with it?

Privatizing the school system won’t lower your school taxes or lower teachers ’ salaries enough to make a difference. And they will still have summers “free.”

Jack B. Zaharia

Penn Township, Westmoreland County

The writer is a retired teacher who made $40,000 a year.

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