North Bergen Teachers Union Defends Teacher Salaries in Letter to the Editor

Post date: Aug 31, 2017 6:6:21 AM

After a false article published by HudsonTV was published in August 2017 about North Bergen High School's teachers and their salaries, NBFT President Elizabeth Lynch wrote a statement in their defense. (Original article)"Test scores shouldn’t define students, school districts or teachers, and

Hudson TV’s analysis of state teacher salaries misses the mark of the

great jobs our educators are performing for our children. The higher

North Bergen salaries cited are a result of individuals who found their

callings early in life, went into teaching in their early 20s remaining

with our district for decades while completing advanced studies.

The data used by Hudson TV is more than two years old. Since then, of the

top five salaries cited in North Bergen, one is actually a supervisor

rather than a teacher, one retired last year after a career that lasted

close to 40 years and a third tragically died after more than three

decades teaching. The remaining two people have worked in North Bergen

for almost four decades each.

We at the North Bergen Federation of Teachers are proud of our members’

commitment to continuing professional development and to achieving the

educational goals that help us become better teachers and to our

longevity.

Mutually agreed upon incentives for completing advanced education and

other degrees signify our shared goal with the district, parents and

North Bergen community to continuously improving our teaching skills.

When accounting for education, public workers, especially teachers, earn

less than our private sector counterparts.

The real story in North Bergen is one of committed, dedicated educators

working hard to meet the needs of a student population with significant

challenges. As a long-term high school teacher myself, I am proud of my

colleagues and the great strides we have accomplished together. Along the

way we have worked hard to be respected as professionals and negotiated

fair compensation for lifetimes of service.

We would recommend Hudson TV or any media outlet visit our schools, speak

with our students and teachers and get a real sense for the incredible

effort that goes into helping students succeed in all aspects of their lives."

Elizabeth Lynch

President

North Bergen Federation of Teachers.