http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article211172024.html
Teachers in NC rally today at the state Capitol in Raleigh. NC ranks in the bottom 25% for teacher pay and the legislature took away pay for advanced degrees.
Good for them!
I know our news (TV - NBC) briefly talked about one teacher sharing his paycheck stub online. He earned $53 day (take home) for full time with something like ten years of experience if I recall correctly.
Just to compare, working part time as a sub at my district in PA I earn (take home - after taxes and retirement are withdrawn) approx $78/day. When I go full time, of course it’s considerably more than that. Working every school day (180 days) for $78/day is only 14K take home.
I consider it tough to live on $78/day and know I can only take advantage of it (and choosing my days/specific jobs to line up with what I can actually teach vs babysitting) because hubby earns far more with his job. If I were the sole earner for our family, I’d definitely stick with full time - just not in his district in NC apparently… I have to wonder how they get folks to fill those jobs. How does one live on roughly 10K per year (assuming he’s not getting paid over summer vacation - just the 180 +/- days of a school year)? Or actually, calculating out $53/day for 365 days is still < 20K take home (if that’s how they did the math - it was TV - no looking at an article to check).
@Creekland you are correct, the teacher reported he made $53/day, but apparently his math was not correct and he actually made $73 or $76/day, I cannot remember which.
Just focusing on one number is misleading, as it’s all relative. Sure there is take home pay. But then there are taxes, insurance, vacation, sick time, pension, etc. Then you add in regional cost of living differences. $50,000 in rural NC is different than $50,000 in Chicago.
I think, more so than in other careers, it’s taboo for teachers to express that they want more money. We’re supposed to be doing it because we love the kids! And want to make a difference! I’m fortunate enough to be in an area where I make significantly more than my friends, and I absolutely would not be doing such a stressful job if that wasn’t the case.
@yourmomma I am familiar with the county the teacher lives in and the cost of living there should be quite low even compared to other NC counties, much less Chicago, etc
@yearstogo I still can’t imagine living on roughly 14K take home pay as a full time teacher. Even if you double it before things are taken out, that’s just a salary of 28K. For mine, the true amount I’m paid (as a day to day sub, but with retirement and taxes still pulled out) isn’t twice what I make. It goes up about 25 - 30%. I suspect his is similar.
We don’t live in a HCOL area like a city.
One does have to wonder why some choose teaching in low pay areas. It definitely must be a calling or a true desire to stay in those locations.
The teachers are also asking for more funding for education and resources, and for school repairs. It’s great that this is really taking off in so many states. So wonderful! I’m very glad that West Virginia got the ball rolling.
DD2 is a NC public school teacher with 8 years of experience. If she works for 25 years, she will make what a first year teacher makes in our NJ town. If she uses a personal day, she has to pay for the substitute. If there is an ice storm, and the children have a delayed opening, she has to be there at her regular time. Apparently, they’re not concerned with her safety on the roads. Any raise she gets is eclipsed by the raise in her health premiums, and her coverage is quite poor. While her rent is not too bad ($1300 for a one bedroom), her gas, food, car payment and insurance, the occasional dinner out, is not cheaper than most places. She manages to make ends meet, but as far as saving for her future or retirement, it’s a no-go. She was a PBK summa who had a full tuition scholarship for undergrad. I shudder to think what her life would be like if she had student debt. Eventually, she will have to consider leaving the classroom. Pity for her students.
Teachers should be paid on par with nurses. Both jobs require a college degree and are essential to our community.
No one with a job that requires a college degree should be paid that low.
They can’t find teachers for that low so there are now companies recruiting teachers from developing countries.
I had no idea any district did this. Hearing some of these things sure makes me thankful we didn’t settle in NC (or other such low paid teacher states/areas).
Does anyone still wonder why it’s difficult to encourage our best and brightest to head for K-12 education as a career, esp in some states?
"rebeccar: I think, more so than in other careers, it’s taboo for teachers to express that they want more money. We’re supposed to be doing it because we love the kids! And want to make a difference! "
That’s ridiculous that this is the case. They still have to pay their bills and live.
That job is an important one, unlike say, some basketball star or singer who makes millions for doing a concert.
The values of this world are all upside down.
But here is the thing. WE pay the teachers, and WE have decided that we don’t want to pay the taxes necessary to pay teachers a living wage so we can have the money to pay $180 to go to a basketball game to watch those guys who only get paid millions because WE are willing to pay those kinds of prices.
Don’t include me in that “we”. I don’t pay money for useless things like basketball games. $180? Fat chance. People should put their money where their mouths are.
The federal and state governments are also liable in this. They’re ok with paying teachers so low as long as it leaves money for other (sometimes frivolous pursuits).