Letters To The Editor

Thu., Dec. 5, 1996

Substitute teaching not worth the hassle

This is my third year as a substitute teacher and I’ve had a hard time accepting the amount substitutes are paid and how we are paid.

Substitutes in Central Valley, East Valley, and West Valley districts make $75 a day. Last year, I averaged about three days a week, for a gross pay of $225 a week. Sorry, but I can’t live off substituting at that rate. I’m working more this year but still just scraping by.

I’m about to bag substituting and look for a better-paying job, one I can count on five days a week.

Being on call is too unpredictable. If the phone doesn’t ring at 6:30 a.m., I lose $75 and the amount I could have made doing something else.

I’m taking 15 credits worth of night courses through Eastern Washington University, so it’s nice having a day off to do homework. But I can’t afford a day off.

It’s a stressful, unenjoyable way to live.

The frequency with which we are paid is also disturbing. My summer job ends in early September and I count on substituting to get by. We work for a month and a half before seeing a paycheck. September and October are slow for subs, so we may only have seven or eight days on the Oct. 31 paycheck. That’s $525 to $600 (gross) to live on during September and October.

One-hundred dollars a day and a paycheck every two weeks would be more reasonable. Darren Tremblay Spokane

Young people stopped to help elderly lady

In this day and age when our young people often come under criticism for a variety of shortcomings, we would like to tell you about two young people we know.

A brother and sister out for college Thanksgiving vacation were driving in the vicinity of Gonzaga, when they saw an elderly lady slip and fall into a deep mud puddle as she was crossing the street.

They stopped and hurried to her aid. They helped her up and took her to her nearby apartment. They stayed while she got into warm clothing and to make sure she was all right.

Before leaving they asked for her phone number and called her later to make sure she was OK.

We’re especially proud of these two young people as they are our grandchildren. Kay and Jack Bennett Spokane

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.