Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

America is on the verge of losing one of its last cash cows due to greed and a lack of respect for those who do all of the work; more specifically, I am talking about teachers and school system employees, which a plague in the name of a global pandemic, COVID 19 exposed. Finally, eyes are opened to those who should have been making higher, more competitive salaries, but unfortunately instead they have been pawns in a vicious game that makes no sense in a nation that education is a basic building block to living a productive fruitful life. In fact, teaching is the cornerstone of America. Many who were educated went on to lucrative careers, while teachers, most of whom have masters and doctorate degrees, as well as specialized certifications suffered and lay victims to the economic downfall and have to basically take on additional jobs to make ends meet. If asked why, it appears to be that those at the top, making budgeting and funding decisions have forgotten about those who toil with students, parents and the public. Based on the lack of funding and the low teacher salaries, there is shortage of teachers. The school systems are not able to attract the brightest and the best because of pay. However, ultimately the students will become big losers in education and ultimately in life, as they will not be able to make the scores needed to get into the competitive colleges and universities, or if admitted be able to complete the coursework that will be required.

The teacher shortage has created a no-win situation for our children, as often times, those that are in the classrooms serving as the educators are not competent, regardless of college credentials nor do they love what they are doing, as the teachers of 40 plus years ago. Very few school districts are addressing real salary increases, but there is a need to determine why. The hope is that it is not because those at the top of the education salary scale want to share the wealth and potentially receive less lucrative salaries. The reality is that those at the top have much more to lose than the teachers and school employees who do the bulk of the work.

Another issue schools face is safety. Historically, school was one of the safest places for students and personnel, but like everywhere else, that has changed. Schools have been targets of some of the most heinous crimes against mankind since prayer was removed! School violence is a national plague to which there is no answer or solution. It can happen anywhere at any time, leaving school personnel and the students most vulnerable. It is obvious that the lack of attention to the educational pay scales is not about the direct adverse effect on children, because if it was, then salaries of educators would be fairer and equitable. The question to ask is, how do teachers teach everyone everything that they need to know, but make less than their students have the potential to make? Stop ignoring the problem and dying in denial, instead work to ensure that teachers begin to get paid!