LAUSD Benefits and Teacher Pay

Re “2 Items Buried in Schools Budget Draw Controversy,� May 20: The Los Angeles Unified School District convinced voters to pass a bond measure to pay for deferred maintenance and school repairs. Meanwhile, LAUSD has enough money in its budget to provide the roommates of both current and retired employees with medical, dental, mental health, vision and life insurance at a cost of $10.1 million during just the first two years alone. Why are educational dollars being diverted to provide costly health benefits for just about anyone who lives with either a current or retired LAUSD employee?

District employees and retirees already have a generous health benefits package and LAUSD employees are among the highest paid in the country. On the other hand, our students are among the worst performing in the country and attend rundown schools. What LAUSD is proposing is fiscally irresponsible. This money belongs to taxpayers and students.

HELEN FALLON

Venice

* At the same time Gov. Pete Wilson is saying that California’s schools will be “catching up with a vengeance� in per-student spending, the Los Angeles Board of Education is proposing a 1% raise for its teachers and staff.

As a teacher for LAUSD, I have subsidized this shortfall for the last eight years. A proposed 1% raise by the board is tantamount to giving its employees a collective obscene gesture.

I expect the union that represents me and the school district that employs me to reach an agreement that makes up for eight years of a stagnant salary structure. Anything less is unacceptable!

ARTHUR GROFSKY

Northridge