Teachers need respect, living wage

I am inspired to respond to the statewide challenge issued by a small group of powerful people in Albuquerque (with no teachers among them) who asked:

What (other than one-time bonuses to a very small number of teachers) can be done to reward teachers for helping our students achieve their successes in life?

Teachers don’t get into the profession for money, they get into it for the ability to transfer knowledge to future generations. Let teachers teach the students with the respect they earn every day.

I’m Stephen Reynolds, and after a career in the Air Force, I want to share what I learned during my second career as a teacher about what can be done to help them successfully help our students succeed.

Provide teachers respect.

We educate and inspire and teach the future citizens, lawyers, doctors, scientists, business owners, internet-technology professionals, educators, and farmers. Demonstrate respect for teachers and other education and support professionals with a living wage comparable to that of others with similar professional degrees, certificates and experience.

While an “average” individual straight out of college starts at $49,785 a year, an average teacher starts nationally at only $31,960.

Both are without experience, yet a teacher is paid less. Sixty-four percent less.

Compare average starting salaries in other fields of study:

Computer science — $71,140

Engineering — $69,698

Business — $67,890

Math and sciences — $64,465

Healthcare — $58,500

Agriculture and natural resources — $51,417.

Other professionals are not paid this low as a group and scrutinized as individuals and told how to do their jobs. This lack of respect, and constant interference by state and federal agencies are the key reasons that educational professionals are leaving the field yearly.

Something needs to be done.

Reward all teachers for their hard work. So-called merit pay only rewards a select few.

Teachers know the system is not fair. The state cannot reduce to a number an educator’s positive impact on a student’s self-esteem. All educators deserve the honor and respect for all are just as important.

I see it here in Clovis, teaching with the professionals with whom I am now a proud colleague.

Give all educators the respect they deserve after years of none (remember … 64 percent). Provide for a one-time 5 percent increase in salary. Allow educators to keep up with inflation and insurance.

I hope if you take nothing else from these few words in response to the challenge for teachers to say what needs to be done, please remember most importantly: Educators need respect for the citizens we help grow.

It is time to look at paying teachers what we are worth. Allow us to assist in developing programs necessary to educate our students with our local school boards, helping students to prosper in the country, as well as within their communities. Isn’t that the overall purpose of education?

Stephen Wray Reynolds is president of National Education Association-Clovis. Contact him at: [email protected]