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I work in a fairly affluent district. The majority of my students come from parents with college degrees and are homeowners in our community. The town has passed school bonds based on property taxes to fund the 'extras' in our districts, such as art programs, sports and an additional period for kids to take electives.
In other words, this community - the community where I grew up, where I live, where my children go to school and where I teach - supports education.
Many would think this is the 'ideal' teaching location. What could be better than engaged parents, prepared students and extra funding for students?
Fair teacher salaries, that's what. Salaries that honor teachers who are committed to staying in this district, salaries that reward teachers who are curious and capable and believe they, themselves, are life-long learners.
It is no secret that the California state budget has been in a crisis. I got my first 'pink slip' notice in 2006, after 16 years of teaching. And I got another one the following year. There was no money, and districts around the state were enforcing a 'reduction in service', forcing many teachers to move to larger districts, go out of state, or leave the profession all together.
I stayed. I toughed it out. I was dedicated to our district.
Finally last year, California began to straighten out its budget and districts found themselves with more funding. Our district negotiated a 2% raise - more than we'd received in the past six years. Nothing life changing, to be sure, but it felt like the beginning of a positive trend.
That is until I saw my paycheck last month. Instead of a 2% raise, I received a pay cut. That's right - $200 less per month. I was shocked. Amazed. Furious.
When I dug into the details I realized the issue - while my 2% raise was there, the district had increased my health care premium by $375/month. And there went my raise.
I'm a 22-year dedicated teacher. Aside from some shortened contracts while my children were babies, I've dedicated my entire career to teaching. I've worked the long hours, put up with overcrowded classes, too many meetings and not enough supplies. I've written grants, paid out of my own pocket, and mentored new teachers. I've been selected as teacher of the year at my school, worked 20% over my contract to help make ends meet and pay for my daughter's college tuition. [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="yes" overflow="visible"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="no" center_content="no" min_height="none"]But this time, this pay cut, I'm taking personally. Click To Tweet
Is this the way to honor those that stand before our children every day? Is this the way to make me feel like I should stick it out a few more years, just to increase my retirement earning potential? Is this the way to say thank you for going the extra mile?
I'm sure there are thousands of teachers like me. Every day, we put ourselves second and put kids first. Click To TweetWe leave our own children in the morning and return to them at dusk. We struggle to pay for their college expenses and think about all those kids that we helped get to college, those kids that belong to someone else but that we invested in as if they were our own. There are teachers all over this country who are working overtime, finding evening jobs or spending their summers trying to make a little more cash.
This is the real myth about teacher salaries. We are working to help form our world's future, all the while wondering how we will pay for our own. Click To Tweet
There's something seriously wrong with that.
Maybe I can figure it out when I quit - likely to be sooner than later. Click To TweetThat's the sad reality teachers face - we simply can't afford to do this job anymore.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
I enjoyed reading your blog. I can definitely agree with you. You teach because you love it, but the love is not helping your family, which sometimes gets left out; not intentionally, but it happens. I too, I am thinking about another career, one that will help family, help end the stress, lack of sleep, no overtime pay, etc, teaching brings. I do not want my family left out, due to work
Thanks, Ruth. I do love it, but I'm not sure for how long. It's getting harder and harder to keep up. Thanks so much for commenting, and good luck.
What's sad is this is so common, and so any think teachers make too much money. It's going to get worse in the near future too. So glad I am in last few years and and my daughter is is on college. What is sad is she would be an outstanding teacher but after watching what I went through she will not consider it, and I am GLAD!
Tamara, you are exactly right. I don't know how new teachers will either want or be able to afford to become educators, which is a sad statement. We need good role models now more than ever!
My wife is in her 39th year as a Special Educator. Here in Indiana, not only did they go without raises for years in her school system but the state took away the health benefits they had taken in lieu of a raise.. This is only a part of a National problem in both the public and private sectors. Due to mismanagement and outright fraud most pensions have disappeared over the decades. During the recession we had State Legislators claiming teachers were stealing tax funds due to their high salaries. Charter schools are rampant but they get to play with different rules than the Public Schools here. Fortunately, as a Special Educator, my wife is considered a high need teacher. Recently, our state government wasted several hundred thousand tax dollars to discover why new teaching licenses had fall to around 500 in a year. They couldn't recognize that all the attacks on the Educators had shown that spending upwards to $100K for a teaching degree was a bad investment. A new teacher here will have a difficult time finding a salary high enough to provide a place to live and pay their student loans.
I have also observed that many teachers are aging without getting a significant other, getting married, or having children. They are too busy being a teacher. I myself have my family it gets neglected. I am luckier than most but I feel for other teachers.
Here in Nevada we are in our tenth year without raise or pay increase. I make the same as I did in 2007 only now I'm supporting 4 people on that salary. It's eating away at us. There is no real light at th end of the tunnel. Cost of living has doubled and our salary hasn't increased a dime. I am frustrated when I see politicians espouse the our children are precious, we value education, etc... It's a lie.
Yes, I work in California in a "poor" district. We are expected to work 12 hours a day "for the kids" when I haven't seen a raise in a long time. Last time there was plenty of money in the district, they hired Teachers on Assignment for every school (2 and 3 in some) instead of giving raises. Then they hired an extra 60 teachers that sucked up the payroll, I am grateful to have a job that I love, but I need respect and I need to pay my bills.