There will be problems in Jay as long as the school budget is over $10 million for 960 students.

Is it not wise to compare salaries in Jay with other area schools? Do local consumers compare prices at Hannaford, Wal-Mart, Save a Lot and Food City? Of course they do.

Some teacher salaries are around $40,000 (plus handsome benefits) for less than 200 days of teaching. Other town employees with degrees are working 8-to-5, 50 weeks, without snow days.

And, regardless of decreases in student enrollment, there never seems to be a reduction in force.

Leaving will give teachers opportunities to be engineers, doctors, lawyers, CEOs and entrepreneurs. They may work 10- to 12-hour days, 50 weeks a year, but they will make a lot more money, acquire more self-esteem and earn a whole lot of respect.

It is difficult for some who are now on very fixed incomes to save enough money for their taxes. A lot of elderly people still work; they eat liver and their employees want to eat lobster.

If the teachers are worried about not having enough money to pay their bills now, or when they retire, it is their prerogative to apply for food stamps, fuel aid, etc. That would be better than placing a higher tax burden on Jay taxpayers.

Morale and egos aside, if Jay teachers are receiving their paychecks from Jay taxpayers, they ought to be doing their very best for taxpayers and children.

Janet Kinney, Jay