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February 19

Teachers, students would lose if LePage get his way

I am really sorry that Paul LePage had a bad school experience himself.

Maybe he had a poor teacher who was unkind, or maybe he was a bully in school and prevented his teachers from doing their job for all the other kids.

I will never know, but it is sad that he is bent on changing things without adequate knowledge of our system or apparent concern for either the average student or even the best teachers.

Maine does not have tenure for teachers of grades kindergarten through 12. A teacher can be let go for any reason for the first two years of work.

After two years, even if a teacher is granted a continuing contract, it takes only three bad annual evaluations in a row to "get rid" of him or her.

If administrators are too overworked to be able to decide if a new teacher deserves a contract after two years, then perhaps the probationary period should be raised to three years, or five.

Teaching is a tradition in my family. We are proud of our work, and we take it very seriously. Having retired in 2010, I worry about young teachers just coming up, and for the students who could lose so much if LePage gets his way.

Abigail Norling

Norridgewock

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