Advice for all the teacher haters

In response to the April 13 letter by Dennis Leffner (“Teacher pay”): I believe Mr. Leffner needs to stop overlooking the big issue, which appears to be the desire of some commentators to exaggerate what teachers are asking for every time the subject of increasing funding for salaries arises.

Here are some solutions for Mr. Leffner and others unhappy with the idea of increasing teacher pay and spending more on our public schools:

■ Talk to a teacher. It’s not about living the so-called “high life.” Some of us are the sole support for our households. Some of us don’t make enough to make ends meet. And some of us just want reasonable class sizes so we can spend our most valuable resource, time, with the students who need our help.

■ Try it for yourself for a day. Or maybe longer. Become a long-term substitute and see how the other half lives.

■ Stop telling teachers to be humble and silently accept whatever offer is put on the table. As a teacher for Clark County School District, I’m not asking for any “generous” handouts. I’m doing a job for which I expect a fair wage, which is what negotiations are for.

Once you’ve tried all of the above, you just might be less likely to use hyperbole to denigrate professional educators.