OCR Text |
Show Thursday, February 13, 1969 SOUTH SALT LAKE NEWS Utahs educators are this year asking a 61 million dollar increase to improve public schools in our state. Right now this request is before the Utah State Legislature. And it has become apparent both to the legislators and public alike that if the state is to meet this increase along with the increased needs of other state agencies there will have to be a tax increase. Raising of taxes is a no more pleasant prospect to educators than it is to anyone else. Educators are taxpayers too. But Utah is now at the crossroads. We must raise revenue or we must lower services and standards. In education, the services are already too low. In fact, they are rapidly becoming critical. These are not the emotions of teachers speaking. These are plain facts. 0 $200 $300 $400 $500 $600 $700 20 15 30 25 mentary school classloads are particularly critical, since it is in these formative years that the basis of a childs learning must begin. If the rudiments are neglected, he on to the next grade, simply is pushed unprepared because a teacher has not the time to spend with the slow learner. Even a few extra minutes spent by the teacher each day could make the difference between, for instance, a poor reader and a child who can read well. 0 $100 10 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 Salaries paid to teachers in Utah are substantially below those paid to teachers in surrounding states and the rest of the United States. We train our teachers in state colleges and universities, using tax funds. The teacher can earn more elsewhere, and he leaves the state. Just as important is the fact that we cannot attract better teachers by paying low salaries. Utah is last in its expenditure per child. What does this mean? It means that your children do not get propercounseling. It means that adequate funds are not available for good libraries, technical equipment, teaching materials and extended summer programs. And it means that fewer good teachers are entering the profession. ratios Only three states have larger teacher-pupi- l than has Utah Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. Educators agree that 25 students per classroom is absolute maximum if children are to receive the proper attention. Utah averages 26.5 children per classroom. Ele- - 70 If the improvement of education necessitates a tax crease, how will it affect you? Here are some examples: in- one mill increase in the assessed valuation of the average $20,000 home will cost only an estimated 33 cents per month per mill more. A sales tax were increased by one percent, it would mean each person would pay less than $1.50 per month in additional sales tax. If message on behalf of Utahs children from the 13,400 members of the A UTAH EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Should you desire to have one of our representatives meet with your club or civic group, call 266-4461- . Paged |