Teachers Deserve and Need More Pay
Teachers are one of the most influential types of people in a young person’s life without question. They play a big part in our lives and deserve to be treated with an extreme amount of respect. Yet, they get no respect with their paycheck. It’s sickening how teachers get paid barely getting paid at all. If teachers are teaching the future of our country and are essential to success, then pay them the wages they deserve, which is a 60k salary at a minimum without discussion.
When it comes to teaching, everyone in the world knows that it doesn’t pay well. Yet it pays so little that almost 1/3 of new teachers take a summer job not involving school to pay the bills. In a 2015 study, teachers who had a year or less of teaching were 32% likely to take a summer job throwing the age-old narrative that teachers have summers off right out the window. Another shocking detail in this study showed that 26% of teachers under 30 take a second job compared to the 30–39 range of 16%. It indicates that new inexperienced teachers try to fight the low pay wagers; however, the chart shows that when you get older, that fight goes away, and you become more complacent (NEA).ORG).
The narrative that teachers work a second job to pay their bills is true. Confirmed by Krista Degerness, a teacher from Colorado who worked 40–70 hours a week teaching in the summer and 15–25 hours at her second job in the summer of 2017. In an interview with NEA.org, she said, “We work second jobs because our salaries alone are not sufficient to pay our bills, let alone save for the future.”
This is truly heartbreaking to see within our teacher community. Degerness had more to say, “Even with a second income, I still do not have enough to save, make a dent in my student loans, or plan for the future.’ Teachers working these long hours in both jobs cannot be allowed any longer and barely get paid. They deserve the respect they need.
Parents also agree that teachers demand more pay. During the Covid pandemic, students worldwide were taught from home by teachers over zoom, and their efforts didn’t go unnoticed by the parents. 77% of parents agreed that teachers should get paid more because they contributed to the community during the pandemic. Teachers also keep the students occupied over zoom so that their parents can keep working from home without hindrance to their jobs. Jan Richards, Osmo’s Head of Education, was thrilled to hear that the parents were on their side, saying, “We’re happy to hear so many parents saying they appreciate teachers more and have greater respect for them.” (Foxnews.org)
Teachers who are also college graduates get paid 20% less than nonteacher graduates. In a 2019 study, it was shown that teachers were significantly underpaid, and even in fields that don’t need a college degree get paid more than teachers. Jacob Ferting, a high school art teacher in West Virginia, told The Guardian about his teacher friend who quit, got an assistant manager job at Staples, and started earning 10,000 dollars more right away.
“He started out making $10,000 more than he was making as a teacher. It’s a lot less stressful and he’s never regretted it. The sad thing is, he was good at teaching. He was a graduate support teacher, and the last year he taught, he helped 50 kids graduate who wouldn’t have graduated if it hadn’t been for him,” Ferting said. If anything, this makes me sick to my stomach. No teacher should give up a career they love to make more money, but I understand they have to do what’s best for them and their family.
At the end of the day, teachers are more than teachers. They’re people, too, and deserve to be treated as such. They can help students unlock their true selves and have them step through and be more confident. I had a teacher who helped me with that, Mrs. Jennifer Hutto; she inspired me to be the best person I am today, and without her, I have no clue where I would be. Millions of students who developed a bond with their teachers and teachers should be rewarded with the time and effort they put into their school and students. Pay our teachers more. This isn’t up for debate.
Walker, Tim. “Almost One-Third of New Teachers Take on Second Jobs.” NEA, https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/almost-one-third-new-teachers-take-second-jobs.
Rosales, John. “Moonlighting.” NEA, https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/moonlighting.
Puhak, Janine. “Coronavirus Homeschooling: 77 Percent of Parents Agree Teachers Should Be Paid More after Teaching Own Kids, Study Says.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 30 Apr. 2020, https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/coronavirus-homeschool-parents-agree-teachers-paid-more-kids.
“‘We Shouldn’t Be on Food Stamps’: Teachers on How to Fix America’s Education System.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 5 Sept. 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/05/teachers-on-what-they-solve-crisis-americas-classrooms.
Report • By Sylvia A. Allegretto and Lawrence Mishel • September 17. “Teacher Pay Penalty Dips but Persists in 2019: Public School Teachers Earn about 20% Less in Weekly Wages than Nonteacher College Graduates.” Economic Policy Institute, https://www.epi.org/publication/teacher-pay-penalty-dips-but-persists-in-2019-public-school-teachers-earn-about-20-less-in-weekly-wages-than-nonteacher-college-graduates/.
