Thank you for the articles about the challenges faced by paraeducators (The Columbian, March 9). Since 1998 I’ve worked at various times as both a permanent paraeducator and a substitute in Portland, Vancouver and Evergreen districts. I can attest that many paraeducators are doing a heroic job daily, a job that is often overlooked. Many have to work second jobs to pay rent. It can be hard for those with kids of their own to give full attention to family matters at the end of the day, especially for paraeducators who work with students with severe emotional or behavioral issues.
In one of my long-term sub jobs, coworkers’ visits to the ER and absences due to injuries were not uncommon. And in others I had the impression that program administrators were unaware of certain situations; the suits had no idea of what the boots on the ground were dealing with every day.
I hope that the articles and the sessions with the governor help make a difference.
