i saw a group of red-shirted teachers' union members storming noisily out of the Clay County School Board meeting chanting in unison "Work-to-the-clock! Work-to-the-clock!"

As a teacher of over 10 years now, I think teachers are of as much value - if not MORE so - as air traffic controllers.  And in that spirit of appreciation, i think we need a Ronald Reagan-style leader in Clay county political leadership. 

I commend the mature, honest remarks made by chairman Farrell, and was moved by the tears of long-time school board member Carol Studdard who genuinely wept at the pain expressed by support personnel affected by the precipitous decline in tax revenues which caused the inability to create pay raises.  I appreciated her perspective that in the "good years," teachers and staff have received raises; and she looked forward to when those years return so that raises can be resumed.

Some people are a little slow on grasping the hard fact that the current economy does not permit raises among public employees.  (And I'm one of them!). 

Perhaps the Clay county teachers' union members should look northward to the state of Georgia where my daughter-in-law - an outstanding elementary school teacher - has had to accept a pay-cut along with all other  teachers state-wide.  And be aware that some Georgia counties couldn't retain all their teachers even after implementing pay cuts.

To only slightly paraphrase Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changing":

Come unions and members
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'."

- Tom Platt