BY Samuel Strait, Reporter at Large – February 14, 2021 It looks like right on cue we have the annual curbside gathering of the Del Norte Teacher's Association along Highway 101 at the fairgrounds protesting about how little pay and benefits that they receive. Granted, last year's whine was cut short by the pandemic, but sure enough almost before the youth in our County have returned some what to the classroom, the DNTA is after a 5% raise in pay, as well as a laundry list of other concessions from the District. Seems the 3.5% pay raise requested by the DNTA from the end of last seasons wrangling was not enough to satisfy this pampered lot. It looks like the 5% hike is only the beginning, with the ability to strike, and an increase in the already generous compensation for health care and wellness benefits, what ever that means. Seems the princes and princesses of the classroom are not acquainted with the fact that they already do pretty well for Del Norte County when it comes to compensation for a half year of work. Of course the pressure brought on by the panic over Covid-19 must have upped the quest for combat pay following the abysmal performance of the district's attempt to educate in 2020. For most folks, nearly $1,000 per month is in line for a premium health care package, not too shabby. Actually, the pay for the 2018-2019 school year for almost all teachers put them well above the poverty line, the average pay in Del Norte County, and headed towards the upper 5% of all wage earners in the County. If the job performance measured up, there probably would be fewer eye brows raised to the nearly annual event for the DNTA at the fairgrounds in February/March. Problem is that many in the community believe the heavy dose of propaganda annually spread far and wide about the woeful conditions educators find themselves. One would think that they would understand the concept of basic budgets, probably not. Naturally, the complaints of our well compensated educator class do not end with more pay and benefits. They quickly move on to pay checks in August, (I am fairly certain you can spread your compensation over the entire twelve months if you choose), increased time for for daily planning and prep, clarification of scheduling, and curriculum consistency between school sites. I am wondering if they would like the District to hire some one to teach for them as well? Maybe a better product will emerge. Having grown up in the family of teachers, including Grandmother, Father, Mother, Two sisters, and one of my own children, I have heard all the stories. Teachers, currently have very little to complain about and shouldn't. Try living on $800 a year as a teacher, with a family and a stay at home mom. I'm quite sure that most teachers do not bear anything close to that burden in this day and age. If I recall, 2020 saw a 2% salary schedule raise, plus a 2% flat dollar raise, plus a 0.5% supplemental raise, plus $1,000 added to their health benefits, not something many have seen in this community for some time. Maybe more time should be spent raising the quality of education rather that standing in the rain at the fairgrounds weeping about being pay disrespected.