“When someone shows you who they are the first time, believe them,” said the late poet Maya Angelou. That’s exactly what happened Monday at the Wake County commission meeting when the majority showed once again that they have no interest in paying our teachers what they are worth here in Wake County.

In addition to denying voters the opportunity to decide whether our teachers deserve a raise, they also denied 26-year veteran and beloved county Commissioner Betty Lou Ward the right to be heard when she called in after just being released from the hospital. That’s after parliamentarian and county attorney Scott Warren said she had a full right to be heard and to represent herself at the meeting.

However, the real referendum on public education will happen this November when the voters get to elect four new county commissioners.

Sig Hutchinson, Raleigh