I want to urge all Berkeley families to learn more about the contract dispute between the Berkeley teachers union and the school district.

I am the parent of a child in kindergarten at Oxford Elementary School. My daughter’s experience at Oxford has far exceeded my expectations for one reason: her teacher. This teacher creates an environment that is calm and stimulating; she gives children of different abilities the personal attention they need; she fosters communication and conflict resolution; she has inspired my daughter to love school. I can’t ask for anything more.

Strong and experienced teachers are the most important aspect of any public school. In Berkeley, we have some outstanding teachers, but to keep them, we need to stay competitive with other Bay Area school districts. Right now, our teachers’ salaries and benefits are in the mid-range and dropping compared with other schools in Alameda and nearby counties.

This year, the state is giving Berkeley a 4 percent increase in funding. But the district is, in effect, proposing a pay cut for our teachers by offering a small raise and a big increase in health care premiums.

The teachers aren’t asking for much-- just to be a priority in the budget. Isn’t that the least we can do?

I hope Berkeley parents will support the teachers by learning more about the issues, calling the school Board and coming out to a rally on May 11, 7 p.m. at the BUSD offices at Martin Luther King and Allston Way.

Sincerely,

Andrea Lampros