Published: April 04, 2006 11:46 pm         

Teachers vs. public debate centers on pay issues

It was just a very small item in a news story about the Enid Public Schools approving retirement for some long-time educators.

Yet, it sparked some comment among online readers that has turned into a full-fledged debate on whether teacher pay in Oklahoma is fair and equitable.

Since then, readers have been having their say on whether they believe teachers are paid too low, too much or just about right. There has been debate over whether teachers should be required to work a full 12 months instead of the regular nine-month schedule. This debate seems to come up often when teacher pay or retirement benefits are the subject of a news story.

It’s almost become a debate of teachers vs. the public. Teachers (and their relatives) claim they are woefully underpaid. They talk about how much of their own time they spend grading papers, creating projects and dealing with student needs. They talk about spending their own money on supplies for kids and for their classrooms.

They talk about how hard the job is in today’s cultural environment, and how emotionally draining it can be to deal with all the baggage that some students bring to school.

Then there is the other side. Some people believe that teachers are paid equitably because they are on the job for nine months. Teachers are paid on a 12-month cycle, however.

Some complain about the “system” that allows teachers to remain on the job long past their effectiveness. It’s called tenure, and it does rile some people who think no one should have that kind of job protection.

How did there get to be such a divide between teachers and the public? Most people can name a teacher or two who they believe had the most positive effect on lives. Any parent who has a child in school knows the demands that are placed on teachers.

Yet, so many people are critical of teachers and of the education system in general.

I would submit that the teachers unions don’t really do a lot to enhance teacher perception in the state. The unions, the Oklahoma Educator’s Association and the National Educator’s Association, often use hardball tactics when it comes to pay raises. In the past, the unions have called for rallies at the State Capitol, and this usually gets the public upset.

There is a perception that the unions are more interested in pay issues for teachers rather than solving educational issues for students, and I’d say that’s a fair perception.

Also, at a time when the minimum wage hasn’t budged in years and when other comparable professional salaries have remained stagnant, teacher unions are out there lobbying for more pay for teachers and for full insurance benefits to be paid. And, the state retirement for teachers is still better than some private business retirement. Taxpayers, frankly, get tired of teacher pay always being in the news.

The public also sometimes has the perception that the teachers want more time away from their students, with teachers spending less time with students on lunch hours and additional days off.

These issues and perceptions are real, and the educators need to address them, from the schools boards to the local teacher unions. Educators may not like to believe people hold these perceptions, but they do. And, there are some good reasons for them.

If the unions really want to help teachers, they need to work toward marketing them a lot better and not focusing so much on the pay issues. Let’s face it, most people believe teachers should be paid fairly. But, when teacher raises are an issue year after year after year, the taxpayers get the perception they are being hammered. What I call the “pettiness factor” will always weigh in when the only issue the public hears about concerning teachers is about pay.

Unions need to concentrate more on improving working environment within schools. If teachers are really spending their own money for supplies and room decor, then the unions need to step in and lobby for the districts to pay those expenses and to pay them fairly. Unions also need to get on board 100 percent with incentive pay for teachers who continue their education and training to make themselves better teachers. And, they need to lobby just as hard to dismiss teachers who aren’t doing their jobs.

And, the districts need to take a stronger stand in discipline and cultural environment. Too often students are not following the rules or are causing disruptions that affect the entire class. The learning environment is often not very friendly or appealing, so that makes it even more difficult for teachers to do their job.

Let’s face it, teaching is a hard job. Dealing with young human beings in their developing years is extremely emotionally draining. Come on, parents, think about having to spend eight hours a day with your own child times 24 more!

We need to give the teachers a break, but those who lobby on behalf of teachers also need to understand that griping about pay only is not helping promote the hard work and the dedication that most of our teachers perform.



Allen is managing editor of the Enid News & Eagle. She can be reached at 548-8163 or by e-mail at editor@enidnews.com.