Great teachers are vital

As a former president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and as a long-time teacher and administrator in Kentucky, I have had the opportunity to visit more than 1,000 schools throughout the United States and many foreign countries. My anecdotal research has concluded what many people already knew: The key to having great schools is to have great teachers.

Gov. Matt Bevin’s pension plan will destroy any hope of great teachers in Kentucky. His plan will destroy any hope that the best and brightest students in Kentucky will consider teaching as a profession, because they would be saddled with substandard pay and no pension or Social Security parachute. Their only retirement plan would be a 401(k)-type plan totally dependent on the stock market, with most of the funding coming from their own paychecks.

The key to having great schools in Kentucky is to have great teachers. The governor’s plan will not produce great teachers for Kentucky schools. We must consider other options.

This story was originally published November 13, 2017 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Great teachers are vital."