Did Jon Ralston Post A Bogus Letter?

Jon Ralston posted this letter in the Las Vegas Sun today, but is it a real letter or a made up one from a liberal group? From the Sun: http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralstons-flash/2011/apr/13/cri-de-coeur-successful-teachers-abandoning-nevada/ My wife and I are two young, motivated educators. We've served CCSD and Nevada for a combined 7 years. We were first denied our signing and moving bonus after being recruited out of state. To the best of my knowledge, CCSD did not, at any time, offer a signing bonus to it's teachers. Moving expenses, yes, but never a signing bonus, especially in the last several years. The moving expense was $2000 and it was paid in increments of $1000 if you joined the Silver State Credit Union. if not, you got your money at the beginning of the school year or maybe a little later.We were then told our salaries would be frozen and our contract not honored to balance the budget. Now, after spending $30,000 combined on our own professional development, earning two Masters degrees each, we are being told our educational advancements will not be honored on the salary schedule. Excuse me? You aren't going to honor our contract again? Really? Up until this year, educational steps were still honored, so they were not denied an educational step. Maybe a yearly step in pay, but that's it. Our students' test scores are above the county and national average. Our commitment to education and student achievement cannot be questioned. We love teaching and we love our students, but this madness has pushed us to pack up and move. Enough is enough. We were told by a Republican businessman who works for the casinos to "leave if (we) don't like it." I call BS on this statement. First, how did they know he was a Republican businessman and second, why would call someone working in a casino a businessman? They are employees, managers, supervisors, management etc. Whoever called a person, no matter what they do on the strip or at a casino a businessman. I don't believe this statement at all. Well, Jon, we are doing just that. After being "threatened" with our jobs for the second year in a row due to a reduction in force....due to low seniority, we are done. After being lied to multiple times...after being denied the essentials and forcing us to pay out of pocket for basic supplies... Every classroom still had a budget this year. Where did their classroom budget go?after being swindled out of thousands of dollars in educationaladvancements, we are taking our passion, our combined six degrees, Six degrees? A Bachelors and Master's only gets you 4 degrees, where are the other two?and our talents to another state....one that is not controlled by a gaming and mining...a state that has priorities and treats educators with respect. Where are you going to go that is hiring teachers, especially with Master degrees? You will be at the bottom of the hiring pool at almost every school district you will go to. Most districts will hire a person with a bachelors with little or no experience than hire a person already at the top of the pay scale. By the way, the unions are not off the hook in this one either. Sandoval is certainly the force behind our leaving the silver state, but the teacher's union should be equally ashamed. Instead of working to trim the fat, become more efficient, and become more wiling to hold our administrators and educators accountable, they have protected the ineffective, lazy teachers and congratulated themselves for a job well done. We don't keep employees based on job performance even when study after study has shown the only true effective strategy to improve student achievement is to hire more effective teachers. Yet, the mess our union and our governor have left us in is one that Nevada will not soon recover. Not only have these policies driven away two passionate educators who were ready to serve Nevada for 30 years+, but Nevada will NOT be able to recruit the best and brightest teachers from out-of-state nor can they produce them. Imagine the sales pitch! I imagine it may go something like this: "We have one of the highest teacher to student ratios in the country here in the 49th best state for education. Oh, and it's getting higher by at least 3 students per classroom. We routinely place more students than any fire marshall would allow and get away with it because most parents are unaware or apathetic. We have contracts that are marginally decent on paper as long as you aren't coming from a state that cares about educators....but they won't be honored year to year. Our contracts are more guidelines and are flexible to the needs of gaming and mining to ensure they get their profits and make their shareholders happy. Typical liberal line. We have no true industry and higher education is not priority. Here in Las Vegas, you will be expected to perform miracles in our transient district and if a student that you had for a few weeks before a high stakes test doesn't pass, you will be the reason why. It is always your fault and never the parents and you better be prepared to have your schedule modified each count day. You may be hired for one subject, but we will surplus you based on projections that our legislators are too lazy to actually fact-check. So, you'll probably wind up teaching a different subject that you were hired for and likely be asked to split time between multiple subjects. Oh, boo hoo. You were hired to teach but not teach a certain subject. Oh, and we're cutting 8% of your salary starting next year....but really, it's closer to 30% if you are young because you will not be paid for educational advancements despite them being posted on the contract and we are doubling your PERS contributions. Sound like fun? Come to Nevada....30% reduction in pay for a small amount of money to be paid to be paid to PERS. Even with a educational step and yearly step, at best you are talking about 18% per decrease, even though only about 10% maybe a reduction in their current pay. Not even close to 30%.hey, we do have casinos, strip clubs, and racy billboards on every corner so your children will be sure to be experts about human anatomy!" Oh...and with our salaries being cut and our exit out of this backwards state, that also means another short sale for Las Vegas MLS, further contributing to the wonderful economic climate. You still sure that "No Taxes" is the best thing for Nevada residents Sandoval? Another nice liberal line. Sandoval has nothing to do with the money that is given CCSD- it is determined by the legislature and Sandoval can either veto or accept what the legislature says. He has nothing to do with their salary- that is between CCSD and the union. Enjoy the ripple effect Nevada! You will feel the impact of these cuts in the short term and long term....and sadly, some of you will still applaud! As a public educator, I can safely say....parents, get your children out of this state as fast as possible. Run. Run as fast as you can. Yet we have above average test scores, as you stated above?First, bow your heads and take a moment of silence as my wife and I have witnessed the death of public education in Nevada. Watch the pall bearers as they waltz down the aisle: Gaming, Mining, and led by none other than "a pretty smart guy" in Sandoval. This time, however, we are doing something about it. Since our cries have fallen on deaf ears and the electorate in this state have some serious growing up to do, we are leaving Nevada. Good luck fooling, I mean recruiting, any young professional educators to your state. Sincerely, Two (soon-to-be) ex-residents of Nevada! Good Bye! comments mine. This letter is too full of mistakes and liberal lines to make this a legitimate letter. So, Jon Ralston to prove that these people are real teachers who are leaving the district and they wrote the letter. Otherwise, I am calling you a liar and making things up, that or someone fed you a false letter and you are just printing it. So, Ralston, put up or shut up.