Anindependent, nonpartisan,
educational
website responding to a growing disrespect for the democratic process
and dedicated to promoting Christian principles, limited government,
economic freedom and individual
responsibility.
If there is one potential silver lining in the long, dark cloud that is
the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be that many parents are finally taking a
closer look at their children’s education. As one state after
another canceled on-site teaching at public schools and went to
digital/online learning, it has given parents, quarantined at home with
their children, an opportunity to see not only how, but what, their
children are being taught.
And in a growing number of cases, parents are turning to homeschooling,
realizing that they are far more invested in the outcome of their
children’s education than are education bureaucrats.
Homeschooling could revolutionize education in America.
Today’s public school system is an anachronism of a bygone era.
It was created in a time when industrial barons sought to lure
uneducated children and adults from their farms, giving them just
enough instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic to work
effectively in a factory. In 1902, industrialist John D. Rockefeller
created the General Education Board, which provided major funding for
an effort to create a system of nationwide, government-run, mandatory
schooling.
Revealing the prevailing paternalistic view, Board Chairman Frederick
T. Gates declared, “In our dream we have limitless resources, and
the people yield themselves with perfect docility to our molding hand.
The present educational conventions fade from our minds; and,
unhampered by tradition, we work our own good will upon a grateful and
responsive rural folk. We shall not try to make these people or any of
their children into philosophers or men of learning or of science. We
are not to raise up among them authors, orators, poets, or men of
letters.”
Prior to the creation of the public school system, Americans were
generally educated at home or in religious schools. In Massachusetts,
the first state to pass compulsory-schooling laws, the literacy rate
was 98% in 1850. Yet in 1980, Sen. Ted Kennedy’s office released
a report showing that the literacy rate had dropped to 91%.
Last year, two-thirds of America’s school children did not meet
the reading proficiency standards set by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP), and eighth-grade reading proficiency had
actually declined from the previous year in more than half the states.
In Baltimore, fully one-third of all public schools had not one single
student proficient in math, and six more schools had only 1%
proficiency. This is a crisis.
In 1999, roughly 850,000 American schoolchildren were homeschooled, but
by 2016 that number doubled to 1.7 million. Today, this global pandemic
has forced us to find alternatives to the traditional brick-and-mortar,
public-school format. Children there are like products in a factory
assembling line, grouped in batches by age, force-fed the same
information in the same way at the same time, and the monotony is
broken only by the ringing of a bell, at which time instruction in one
subject stops and the obedient children dutifully arise and move to
their next station.
Even the most dedicated and innovative teachers (and there are many)
find themselves fighting a losing battle against a system that
discourages independent critical thinking and innovative teaching
methods (remember the disaster of Common Core?). It mandates a
one-size-fits-all approach, forgetting that children come in a glorious
variety of backgrounds, capacities, and interests. Public
“education” is meant to suppress those differences and
enforce conformity.
Even worse for many parents is the realization that their children are
being taught socialist and “social justice” dogma that is
hostile to their own values and beliefs.
One parent writes of the shock they experienced when their child asked
for help with an assignment. She discovered that her child was being
taught that gender is a “social construct” rather than a
biological reality. This was followed by “leading questions
asking students to regurgitate gender theory.” The next day her
child was immersed in “critical race theory” that
“assumes institutional racism and oppression pervade every corner
of society and necessitate the redistribution of resources based on
‘oppressed’ status.”
This type of “learning” is destructive to a child’s
spirit and potential, teaching some that racism and sexism will keep
them from succeeding no matter how hard they work, and teaching others
that they are hateful oppressors by birth.
The bright side is that this global pandemic has presented a wonderful
opportunity for parents to take control of their children’s
education. Parents can seek out and take advantage of resources and
schooling options that provide creative, innovative ways of helping our
children learn in the ways that they learn best, and in the subjects
that most interest them.
The truth
about public school teacher salaries in Texas
Ed Tor Sept. 1, 2007 (updated Sept. 2018)
Everyone knows a teacher's salary is low, really
low. We've been hearing that for decades,
and we still do (paricularly by pandering politicians during election season).
We all remember our teachers telling us so,
and often.
We believed them too. Everyone still believes that. We hear it all the time so it must be true,
right? WRONG! To be honest, most of us are in favor of everyone earning as much as
possible, but NOT through lies and deception. So... just how "poorly"
are teachers paid? Let us compare the minimum public school teacher salary to a "real world" example:
A young lady with a masters
degree was hired in the big city main office of a very large
organization at an annual salary of $33,000. The job requirements
matched her education level. She is required to work a business
"real world" standard of eight [8] hours a day, five [5] days a
week, fifty [50] weeks a year, less major holidays. This comes
out to about one thousand nine hundred and sixty [1,960] hours per
year. She works for about $16.84/hour.
Compare that to any beginning teacher with
the same education, also traveling to "the big city." ¹The
teacher will make a minimum of $45,000 and she ¹will only be required
to work one thousand one hundred and twenty-two [1,122] hours per year,
which is considered "Full-Time employment" under Texas State Law. The teacher is working for about $40.11/hour.
Public school teachers make 138% more andwork 43% lessthan many other jobs requiring the same amount of college!
Comparisons should not end there either. They are all guaranteed, again by state law, a very nice
raise every year,
for twenty [20] years. Just for breathing air,
they will all get right at a $600 raise their first, second and third
years and $1,240 their fourth, fifth and sixth year! Every
public school teacher gets an average one
thousand dollar $1,000.00] raise in each of their first ten years. And
these raises go on, and
on, and on, for twenty years. Pandering politicians keep
increasing this "schedule of automatic raises"
often! They recently raised it $2,500 just one year after
having raised it $580. And remember... this is at a minimum!
Most public school districts add to these state required
minimums.
This is NOT merit pay. EVERYONE gets it, just for showing
up. View
this years Minimum Salary Schedule below. The business world has nothing even close to this
kind of largess!
Comparison could continue
by looking at a teacher's lavish benefit package including health and
retirement plans. Additionally, work environment, hiring
opportunity, comfort,
safety and proximity to home could be compared. To that list add
their unique opportunity
to continue higher
education or moonlight during the summer months, both of which
will increase their annual
income. Another salary boost available to teachers, and sometimes
only them, are all the part time income sources like
coaching, club sponsor,
chaperon, bus driver, etc. Again... the business world
has nothing close to this.
Huge financial savings, a very real yet unspoken benefit, are also
available like working close to home which saves thousands of dollars
and hours over commuting. Being able to place their children in the
school they work at [a free benefit in most every district] instead of
the one all their neighbors must use can be huge. This
saves many thousands of dollars each year, for each child, if their only other
choice would be private school because their neighborhood school
was unacceptable. And this 'corporate daycare' just happens to dovetail
perfectly with their work hours.
If any public servants are truly deserving of higher pay,
it is the law enforcement officer. Required work
hours are seldom only forty a week, and they are, in fact, ON
DUTY by state law twenty-four [24] hours a day, every day, as a duly sworn peace officer. A peace officer on patrol braves killer highways,
and the known killers on those highways, every single day!
Using a policeman's salary and work hours to compare with a
teacher's will show even greater disparity than the example used above.
Public school teachers are suppose to be public
servants like politicians. But every election season the
latter tell us we need to pay the former more. And they too
are never honest with us about their own salaries and benefits. Could
our Bashful Servants be a little ashamed of how much they actually know they do
make? And since their pay is, in fact, our taxes raised by
threat of force from many who work longer and harder for much
less, they should be a little ashamed. But Shame
is a rare thing these days, so I doubt it.
Again, let me say for the record; I am in favor
of everyone earning
as much as they can. But... how about some
integrity? How about some honesty? And teachers... stop whining all the time about how "poorly you're paid." It
would
be refreshing to hear some teachers admit what a wonderful
salary they have, and how thankful they are to us regular tax paying
schmucks for it.
I guess I'm dreaming.
¹ notes & references:
Seguin Daily News, June 23, 2006, page 3 - quoting Superintendent
Dennis Dreyer, Marion I.S.D.; "The starting salary for a first year
teacher in Marion will now be $34,000. ... we are more than $8,000
behind Northeast starting salary." [$34K
+ $8K + $3K = $45K -- Dreyer's 2006 stated figure of $34K
included an additional $6,680 from the local district (Marion ISD)
above the Texas state minimum of $27,320. It is normal for
districts to add to the state minimum making effective minimum salaries
quite higher. As Dreyer stated, the Northeast ISD (20 miles away in
northeast San Antonio) was paying $8,000 more, hence the "+$8K" figure.
And the "+ $3K" is the increase of $3,000 for the young
ladies masters degree in my example which is believed to be a
fair average stipend adjustment for public school teachers.]
1,122 hours per year is calculated using the state required 187 days
times six [6] hours a day. Six [6] hours per day is the average
between an 8 AM to 3 PM school day and an 8 AM to 4 PM school day, less the one [1] hour state required"off
period," and allowing one half [1/2] hour for lunch. Non of the
other non-instructional 'off' periods of time were considered in
the calculations like five [5] minutes between classes and while
all
students are busy studying or testing. Also. a teachers' students are often excused for pep rallys, plays, concerts and home games during school hours. These add up to considerable 'off' time.
State law defines base work requirements as noted here from: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.21.htm
EDUCATION CODE
TITLE 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION
SUBTITLE D. EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
CHAPTER 21. EDUCATORS
SUBCHAPTER I. DUTIES AND BENEFITS
Sec. 21.401. MINIMUM SERVICE REQUIRED
(b) An educator employed under a 10-month contract must provide a minimum of 187 days of service.
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter153/ch153cc.html
Full-time employment--Employment for 100%
of an institution's normal work schedule.
Full-time means contracted employment for at
least ten months (187 days) for 100% of the school day in accordance with definitions
of school day in TEC, §25.082, employment contract in TEC, §21.002, and school
year in TEC, §25.081.
State Minimum Salary Schedule for Classroom Teachers, Full-Time
Librarians, Full-Time Counselors, and Full-Time Nurses (Section
21.402(c), Texas Education Code)
The state base salary schedule is in accordance with the provisions of
TEC 21.402 and applies only to classroom teachers, full-time
librarians, full-time counselors, and full-time nurses. There is no
state minimum salary for any other position.
In no instance may a school district pay classroom teachers, full-time
librarians, full-time counselors, or full-time nurses less than the
state base salary listed for that individual's years of experience. A
classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time counselor certified
under Subchapter B, or full-time school nurse employed by a school
district in the (current) school year is entitled to a salary that is
at least equal to the salary the employee received for the (previous)
school year, as long as the employee is employed by the same district.
Monthly Salary Based on the Standard 10-Month Contract
updated: 2018-2019 Minimum Salary Schedule
Years of
Experience
Credited
Monthly Salary
Annual Salary
(10 month contract)
0
2,808
28,080
1
2,869
28,690
2
2,929
29,290
3
2,989
29,890
4
3,117
31,170
5
3,244
32,440
6
3,372
33,720
7
3,490
34,900
8
3,602
36,020
9
3,708
37,080
10
3,808
38,080
11
3,902
39,020
12
3,993
39,930
13
4,076
40,760
14
4,156
41,560
15
4,231
42,310
16
4,303
43,030
17
4,370
43,700
18
4,434
44,340
19
4,494
44,940
20 & Over
4,551
45,510
The Truth About Teacher Pay
The popular perception is that teachers are underpaid, but is that widely true?
A recent Time magazine exposé
featured stories from teachers across America, many of whom are
struggling to feed their families or pay their bills. One Kentucky
teacher, for example, asserts that she needs to work two outside jobs
and donate plasma just to make ends meet. So how much can we draw from
such stories on a national level?
Not much, according to Reason’s Nick Gillespie, who says, “The Time
story constitutes something akin to journalistic malpractice by
suggesting that teachers such as Brown, who are pulling down salaries in
the mid-50s, are being forced to sell bodily fluids to make ends meet.
Indeed, according to Time’s sister publication, Money, the median household income in Kentucky is $45,215 meaning that Brown is making about $10,000 more than half of all other households in the Bluegrass State.”
We certainly have our complaints about the education system,
but the vast majority of public-school teachers in this country work
hard for their salaries, and their contributions to society are
impossible to quantify. Of course, we can also say the same about
countless other professions, including firefighters and police officers.
Sure, everyone who works hard and touches the lives of others deserves
to bring home a decent paycheck. But that’s the point. Contrary to
popular belief, most teachers already bring home paychecks that are
equal to, or above, the average salaries of other professions.
Are there school districts in which teachers make significantly less
than some of their counterparts in other places? Sure. Just last year,
the Brown Center of the Brookings Institution issued a report
finding, “The level of overall salary inequality among public teachers
is low in comparison to other occupations. In addition, teacher salaries
show very little evidence of inequalities based on either
race/ethnicity or gender dimensions, but show relatively high levels of
wage inequality based on age (our proxy for experience), education, and
geography.”
Geography, of course, is one important factor that determines how
much teachers are paid. Naturally, school districts in heavily populated
areas with a higher tax base or a thriving local economy receive higher
salaries than teachers in rural areas.
If any teachers have a right to be upset about salaries, they’re
those who teach in parochial or private schools, where salaries are
significantly less than their public-school counterparts. But teachers
in a small Christian school or in a college-prep school aren’t funded by
taxpayers, so the market determines what they make. On the other hand,
public-school teachers are funded by their local and state governments,
where politicians, powerful unions, and education bureaucrats all work
together to make sure teachers draw higher salaries.
It is certainly true that public-school teachers are facing cuts in
salaries and benefits in some areas of the country but, again, this is
due mostly to states and localities whose budgets are in the red. Even Timepoints out,
“The fight over teacher pay has many shades of gray. Generous
retirement and health-benefits packages negotiated by teachers’ unions
in flusher times are a drain on many states. Those who believe most
teachers are fairly paid point to those benefits, along with their
summer break, to make their case.” Teacher pensions and other benefits
are also typically more generous than in the private sector.
One of the problems is that teachers, supported and encouraged by
unions, often demand across-the-board pay increases for all teachers,
which is very expensive and simply rewards teachers for being in the
education field. By taking some innovative approaches, we can pay good
teachers more by creating an efficient system that more closely
replicates the private sector. This includes paying teachers based on
performance and moving teacher pensions to 401(k)-style retirement
plans. But efficiency and government don’t go hand in hand. As long as
school systems are solely government-run operations, we’re likely to see
little meaningful change.
Americans naturally like to root for teachers, but the reality of
teacher pay is that it’s on pace with other professions. Most teachers
in this country earn every penny they make, but teachers shouldn’t
expect or demand higher salaries simply because they’re teachers. That
mentality may work in a profession dominated by unions and politicians —
but not in the real world.
The opening anecdote tells the story of a struggling veteran teacher reduced to selling blood plasma to make ends meet.
Hope Brown can make $60 donating plasma from her blood cells twice in
one week, and a little more if she sells some of her clothes at a
consignment store. It's usually just enough to cover an electric bill or
a car payment. This financial juggling is now a part of her everyday
life—something she never expected almost two decades ago when she earned
a master's degree in secondary education and became a high school
history teacher. Brown often works from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. at her school
in Versailles, Ky., then goes to a second job manning the metal
detectors and wrangling rowdy guests at Lexington's Rupp Arena. With her
husband, she also runs a historical tour company for extra money.
"I truly love teaching," says the 52-year-old. "But we are not paid for the work that we do."
The polite term for this sort of journalism is b.s.
It may well be true that Brown's personal situation is as dire as Time
makes out (I've reached out to her but haven't heard back), but things
are surely more complicated than they are presented. After reading the
article, I spoke with Scott Hawkins, the superintendent of the Woodford
County public school district, where Brown works. He underscored that he
could not talk about her particular situation but noted that a
high-school teacher with a master's degree and 20 years experience would
make $56,616 in salary. In a graphic and cover image for the story, Time says Brown has "16 years experience."
According to the salary schedule
at the Woodford County schools website, that means Brown would make
$55,645 in base pay (Hawkins explained that a teacher with a master's
would be considered Rank II in the "certified salary schedule"). That
doesn't include compensation in the form of health insurance and
retirement contributions. Hawkins said he could not guesstimate how much
the benefits were worth as percentage of salary, but Lisa Snell,
director of education research at Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that
publishes this website, tells me that "on average in the United States
you could add 23.2 percent to any average salary for all benefits for
total compensation."
Time's story is built around the latest entry in a series of
reports from the progressive Economic Policy Institute on what Sylvia
Allegretto and Lawrence Mishel call "the teacher pay penalty" or "the
percent by which public school teachers are paid less than comparable
workers." They write,
Providing teachers with a decent middle-class living commensurate
with other professionals with similar education is not simply a matter
of fairness. Effective teachers are the most important school-based
determinant of student educational performance....relative
teacher pay—teacher pay compared with the pay of other career
opportunities for potential and current teachers—has been eroding for
over a half a century.
You can read the study here.
Allegretto and Mishel argue that teacher demonstrations and shortages
around the country are driven by the fact that educators in K-12 public
schools are making less money compared to other college graduates and
"professionals" over the past several decades. "The teacher wage penalty
was 1.8 percent in 1994, grew to 4.3 percent in 1996, and reached a
record 18.7 percent in 2017," they write. According to their analysis,
the "penalty" shrinks to 11.1 percent when you add in total
compensation.
Their agenda is straightforward: They think teachers should be paid
more, both in absolute terms and relative to other workers with college
degrees or professional status. They have amassed a number of statistics
from credible sources which show that inflation-adjusted teacher wages
have in fact been flat for about the past 20 years.
I don't agree with Allegretto and Mishel that average teacher pay
should be increased and I don't buy into their framework of a teacher
"pay penalty." But that's besides the point that the Time story
constitutes something akin to journalistic malpractice by suggesting
that teachers such as Brown, who are pulling down salaries in the
mid-50s, are being forced to sell bodily fluids to make ends meet.
Indeed, according to Time's sister publication, Money, the median household income in Kentucky is $45,215, meaning that Brown is making about $10,000 more than half of all other households in the Bluegrass State.
And in fact, teachers are doing well compared to households on the
national level, too. The median household income in the United States is
$61,372. According to the largest teachers union, the National Education Association (NEA),
The U.S. average public school teacher salary for 2016–17 was
$59,660. State average teacher salaries ranged from those in New York
($81,902), California ($79,128), and Massachusetts ($78,100) at the high
end, to Mississippi ($42,925), Oklahoma ($45,292) and West Virginia
($45,555) at the low end.
There are all sorts of issues and reforms of the public K-12 system that are worth talking about (go here for a start). That conversation would best be served by solid reporting of basic facts.
Update (Sunday, September 16): Sometime after its initial publication, Time
revised the opening anecdote about Hope Brown that I quote above to
indicate her salary. It now explicitly quotes her salary (emhasis
added):
...Brown often works from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. at her school in
Versailles, Ky., then goes to a second job manning the metal detectors
and wrangling rowdy guests at Lexington's Rupp Arena to supplement her $55,000 annual salary. With her husband, she also runs a historical tour company for extra money.
"I truly love teaching," says the 52-year-old. "But we are not paid for the work that we do."
