WITH all the bankruptcies, flagging test scores, ring-spot viruses and obituaries we've endured lately, it was curiously comforting to read this note from my sister, a high school teacher in Charlottesville, Va. The grass isn’t
always greener''The state is mandating a series of assessment tests for students K-12,'' she wrote, ''which will require new planning, curriculum development and in-service training. In addition, there are new mandates for a high school diploma, requiring students to earn three more credits. This forces us to teach seven periods a day rather than the six we have now (state law technically limits us to five).''
We also face ''increases in health-care costs, textbook costs and a projected increase of nearly 400 students!"
''Would you believe Virginia just elected a governor who won by promising to eliminate personal property taxes? The rub is that these taxes were collected locally and the localities are now leery, doubting that the state will compensate them for the loss in revenue.'' (Shades of the hotel room tax!)
''So, we are faced with increases in class sizes and workload -- teaching five classes and having study periods or other such assignments to 'cover' the students for seven periods. Still, we may get a 3 percent raise!
''Morale is a mite low.''
Cheer up, Hawaii. Sometimes, after a blessed decade in the sun, we forget that life everywhere is a glorious struggle.