To the Editor:

I respond to Dick Graham's letter (Worthington News, Nov. 25). In his letter, Mr. Graham asserts that I have "pontificated" about teachers making too much money and that I offer no real solutions. Ironically, I answered this question in a recent voters' guide.

We pay some of our teachers too much, some of our teachers too little and some of our teachers the right amount. I believe what we need in Worthington and throughout Ohio is systemic reform in the way that teachers are compensated.

I favor merit based pay for part of a teacher's compensation. In addition, the reality is that some teachers are more gifted and innovative than others, and some positions are simply harder to fill. We need to update teacher compensation practices to reflect this reality. This would allow us to reward excellence and provide incentives to become better teachers, as well as continue to attract and retain a quality staff.

It's worth noting that this opinion is shared by President Obama, former President Bush and a wide range of officials, including the current Secretary of Education and his immediate three predecessors. As with most significant issues, constituent input should be used to guide our district.

By Ohio law, teachers would need to consent to this change, but by working collaboratively with our faculty and with the support of our residents who ultimately pay the bills, I hope Worthington can lead in this effort.

Marc Schare