News-Record.com

Easley Senior Policy Adviser Dan Gerlach: "North Carolina teachers with the same education and same experience as their national counterparts are paid about 7 percent less. This is unacceptable if we are to provide our children with the quality education they need."

Headline of 2005 American Federation of Teachers press release:

"North Carolina Ranks 23rd in the Nation for Teacher Pay, One of a Minority of States Where Salaries on Par with Inflation":

* * *
Moreover, the AFT data do not take into account "cost of living" --- which is MUCH lower in the South than in the Northeast (where I taught for 25 years):

"...preliminary analysis by the John Locke Foundation shows that the state’s [North Carolina's] average teacher pay, when properly measured, already ranks 11th in the nation and exceeds the national average by $1,600."
http://www.johnlocke.org/press_releases/display_story.html?id=103

SIDE ISSUE WORTH EXPOSING:

While ranking 23rd nationally in salaries (unadjusted for our much lower cost of living), "North Carolina ranked 38th in the nation for average beginning teacher salary, at $27,572." (using 2004 data).

North Carolina's teacher union-controlled politicians know that keeping North Carolina's highly visible STARTING salaries very low — 38th in the nation nationally --- not only makes it harder to fill open positions, it also encourages high turnover, thus manufactures a very convenient 'teacher shortage.'

North Carolina politicians — Democrats, the state is run by Democrats — know that exceptionally low starting salaries makes it easier for them to whine about 'low' teacher salaries — as a 'problem' which — no surprise here --- is ALWAYS addressed with ACROSS-THE-BOARD raises — which benefit veteran teachers disproportionately (after all, they control vote disproportionately).

Such are the ways of a government monopoly.

"But we need real money".

What a surprise that a governmental fiscal policy wonk needs real money. Memo to Mr. Garlach: Taxpayers are in a crunch and need real money, too! Suck it up!

Mr. Shubord said "North Carolina's teacher union-controlled politicians know that keeping North Carolina's highly visible STARTING salaries very low — 38th in the nation nationally --- not only makes it harder to fill open positions, it also encourages high turnover, thus manufactures a very convenient 'teacher shortage.'"

So . . . teachers in the state of North Carolina sabotage their pay by encouraging high turnover by artificially keeping pay low? Is that what I'm reading? Teachers are shooting themselves in the foot?

The cost of living here isn't THAT much lower. The biggest difference in cost of living here from other parts of the country is the cost to buy a house. I ought know: I moved here from California. I'm paying close to the same thing for everything except housing.

Starting salaries for teachers in public schools are a joke. Administration doesn't support teachers efforts to control their classrooms, so the troublemakers ruin learning experiences for the kids who WANT to be there.

I teach at the college level, and it is frustrating to see so many students who can't construct a simple sentence or spell common words correctly even though they use Word. Their public education has failed them, and I must teach them things they should have learned to graduate from high school.

You get what you pay for. North Carolina isn't paying teachers what they are worth. So the good ones find greener pastures elsewhere, or simply get stymied by the system. That's what has to change to improve education in our state. Not the standardized testing "Every Child Left Behind" shell game that we have now.

So, you must teach at UNC Chapel Hill, right Amy?

Amy: "Starting salaries for teachers in public schools are a joke."

I agree and said so in my post.

"Administration doesn't support teachers efforts to control their classrooms, so the troublemakers ruin learning experiences for the kids who WANT to be there."

Agreed. This is especially hard on new teachers, who instead of getting relatively a less challenging class for the first couple of years until they've gotten their balance, are often given the most difficult classes.

This is another way public schools generate high turnover, which makes it easier to argue for across-the-board pay raises, which disproportionately benefit veteran teachers:

The technical term for this practice is "sink or swim."

Richard Ingersoll, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied teacher retention extensively: “They feel isolated and unsupported in a ‘sink-or-swim occupation.’ You get your job, and the principal gives you the key, wishes you good luck, and you're on your own.”

Amy: "I teach at the college level, and it is frustrating to see so many students who can't construct a simple sentence or spell common words correctly even though they use Word. Their public education has failed them, and I must teach them things they should have learned to graduate from high school."

Schooling is a government monopoly. It's incentive structure is wholly aligned to preserve the status quo, to protect mediocrity. Parents, unless reasonably well-off, have no exit option. Their families are stuck. No teachers union official, no Democratic Party legislator is ever going to let that change.

"No teachers union official, no Democratic Party legislator is ever going to let that change."

Except for the amount of money dedicated to maintain the status quo.

"These arguments reflect a lack of understanding and knowledge of how our state works."

a bit off the subject, but relevant none the less, since we are discussing children and mental health issues both are who affected by the following...

so, rather than reflect a lack of knowledge and understanding, while we have Mr. Gerlach's attention, I'd like to ask...

When the State of North Carolina gives one of these under privleged families "aid" ("welfare")
in the form of an AFDC check (aid for families with dependent children)
and then confiscates any child support monies paid in by an absentee parent....

just say...
if the amount of support paid to the State by the absentee parent exceeds the amount of aid given by the State...what happens to the excess?

ie..simplified example...single Mom gets $200 monthly state check..
absentee Father sends in $800 in child support

what does the State do with the other $600?

one more tidbit...

for clearer understanding and knowledge..

Is the State of North Carolina in compliance with the Federal Laws mandating that child support distribution?