$125,000 to be exact.
Teachers are underpaid. No doubt about it. Everyone agrees teachers deserve more money.
The first question usually is how much is a teacher worth. Then the excitement dies down and the real questions begin. Does teacher pay make a difference? Is student performance directly related to teacher salary?
The Equity Project, a new school in New York, seems to think so. The school takes a giant leap and banks on high teacher salaries. A $125,000 jump. All eggs in one basket based on the belief that better student results come with more teacher pay.
And the salary does not include bonuses up to $25,000 for school wide improvement!
So what’s the catch?
- Teachers have more responsibilities. Longer hours and school year.
- No support staff. No deans or assistant principals (and the principal makes only $90,000.)
- Teachers can get fired anytime. No union protection.
One point of view: Pay teachers a high salary and improve the quality of education.
Teachers are our finest commodities. They deserve the financial edge to be competitive and successful. Not to mention the respect. Pay them whatever it takes to get the job done. Teachers teach our children. The future of the world.
If kids are not prepared, what happens to society? We lose our finest teachers because of the low salary and lack of respect. Money isn’t everything but it sure helps especially during the tough times we live in.
Another point of view: No amount of money in the world can make an uncaring teacher care.
The main component of teaching is caring. A love of children. Desire to make a difference. Teachers spend countless hours at work because they believe in what they do. You cannot place a price tag on effort, concern, and care. Many teachers make $50,000 and do an outstanding job. We diminish the importance of the job and look for quick fixes in the wrong place. Paying a teacher more money will not make them a quality teacher.
Two very different thoughts.
- The only way to “get rid” of unions is to pay teachers an exorbitant amount of money in charter schools.
- Treat someone in a special manner. They live up to the glory. When the novelty wears off, you discover how special they were from the onset.
