Last week I wrote a letter to each member of the North Carolina Representatives for Wake County.  I live in Wake County. 

As the spouse of an educator I know how hard she works each day and support her efforts of wanting to make an impact on of each her students.  "Teaching is making changes," is what she has often said.    It is important that as an educator you continue to be the voice and let EVERY politician know that teachers are important people and deserve better.  I encourage each and every reader of my blog to write, email, or phone your representative and let them know how you feel. 

John F. Kennedy once said, Let me think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which fulfilled can be translated into benefits for everyone and greater strength for our nation." 

I have included the letter that I wrote to the following Representatives:
Marilyn Avila (R)
Nelson Dollar (R)
Jim Fulghum (R)
Rosa Gill (D)
Yvonne Lewis Holley (D)
Darren G. Jackson (D)
Chris Malone (R)
Grier Martin (D)
Tom Murry (R)
Paul Stam (R)

Thanks to Rosa Gill (D), a former educator, and Darren Jackson(D) for a prompt reply.  Funny, they happen to be Democrats. 

Here is the letter I wrote.  You are more than welcome to use any part when contacting your Representative.

NC House of Representatives

300 N. Salisbury St. 
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096

 

August 7, 2013

 

Dear Representative  ,

 

How would you feel if each year your paycheck was reduced by $1000.00?

 

Well that is exactly what is happening to many teachers in North Carolina.  Each year they teach their salary is less than the previous year.  How do I know this?  Well I am married to an educator who has taught for 30 years, with the last five in North Carolina.  You see we moved back to North Carolina, for the second time, and hoped to make this our final move.  As it stands we are not sure this was a wise move.  She has seen her paycheck reduced each year through a combination of increases taxes and benefits costs.  Last year the legislature indicated that teachers would receive a 1% pay increase, a nice gesture in a tight economy.  But her health provider, Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, increased the cost of her health care coverage by 5%.  So much for a pay increase!

 

Teachers work hard and spend time evenings, weekends and holidays on academic related work.  They do this to insure that each day they walk into the classroom they are making the educational experience the best that it can be for the students.  Not only do they spend this extra time preparing, they also spend money out of their own pocket for supplies that the schools cannot afford to provide.  Thankfully the PTA raises some money!  A business owner would understand the impact this can have for a person.  Imagine telling an employee that they need to provide their own computers, and other office equipment to work?  I am sure that this wouldn’t be well received.  And then reduce their salary each year.

Now the legislature wants to reduce teachers pay by taking away the benefit teachers gained by getting a Masters Degree.  Really!!  Can you imagine getting ready for open hear t surgery and finding that your operation would be performed by a doctor with only a general practice license because he didn’t get a specialty.  You see his hospital told him he wouldn’t be compensated for extra certification, so it wasn’t worth him spending the money to pursue this specialty training.  Would you be concerned how competent the surgeon was and still consider the procedure, or perhaps go to another state that required heart surgeons to be specialists?

 

It has become too easy to sit in your opaque glass house, known as the legislative building, and make decisions that impact teachers every day based only on the bottom line.  This state has become another sad example of how impersonal leadership has become when it affects the lives of dedicated, hard working, passionate people. 

 

When was the last time you spent any time in a classroom?  Teachers deal with long hours on their feet, missing many lunches, dealing with unruly disruptive students, too many administrative processes, overcrowded classes, and heaven forbid trying to find time to go to the bathroom!

 

I personally invite you to take a tour with me to a few classrooms and let’s see, together, what really goes on each day.  We can see both regular and special education classes at any level you want, I will make the arrangements. 

 

I hope that you have the courage to get in touch with me and take time out of your schedule to gain a full understanding of what happens in the county you represent.

 

My wife loves working with the kids and has a passion for what she does.  But each year I have seen her more in despair than ever before.  She told me the other day that she would quit if she could.  But each reduction in her salary will lower her final retirement number, so she keeps on working.

 

Hoping to hear from you,

 

W. Scott Spaine

Holly Springs, NC 27540 

 

P.S.  Oh, my wife is a Special Education Teacher.