NC Public School Teachers

In this season of extending gratitude, I fear that an important group in true need of help and encouragement will be ignored: North Carolina public school teachers. Recent polls reflect much bipartisan support for treating them better. While the majority remains quiet, our North Carolina teachers are being bombarded with signals that they are not valued.

We have let NC teacher pay fall below the level of respected professionals. After years of no raises, the average teacher salary in NC is $10,000 below the national average. Gap store managers make over $56,000. It takes a NC teacher more than 15 years to get to $40,000. Many teachers must work at least one extra job to make ends meet.

Recent legislation has taken the few perks that made such low pay bearable. Job security in the form of tenure was abolished. Extra pay for earning a graduate degree was eliminated. We required schools to adopt the new Common Core Curriculum in the same year we slashed their text budgets. Some legislators have made it clear they want to gut the state’s education infrastructure. But those fringe voices do not represent the majority of us. They are not the North Carolina I know and love.

If we stand up now and let them know we have their backs, our talented NC teachersmay choose to stay. Let's send them a strong message! Be generous! Act! Buy a T-shirt!

Check out a video some made by Culbreth students in support of their teachers: http://youtu.be/9U9Rz8AksA4

Read my ThanksgivingPrayer for NC here: http://http//www.newsobserver.com/2013/11/27/3413201/gifting-nc-teachers-with-more.html