North Carolina Governor McCrory tried to defuse criticism of his hostile policies toward teachers by offering a pay raise to teachers in their first five years instead of responding to a call by former Governor Jim Hunt to lift salaries to the national average. NC teachers are now 46th in the nation in salary.
Under McCrory’s proposal, 70% of teachers get no raise. Salaries for teachers have been flat since 2008. It takes 15 years for a teacher in NC to earn $40,000 a year.
This blast just was released about the McCrory plan:
Dear xxxxxxx,
Today, NC Speaker Thom Tillis, along with Governor Pat McCrory and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, unveiled a plan that fails to provide a pay raise to 70% of North Carolina’s hardworking teachers. If you, like us, believe ALL North Carolina teachers deserve a pay raise please sign our petition today and forward to it to 5 friends.
Their plan is simply an election year gimmick. Republicans only want to shield themselves from public backlash over the damage they’ve done to public education. Unfortunately for the Republicans, they have already made it clear during the 2013 Legislative Session that public education was simply not a priority for them. They laid off 3,800 teacher’s assistants, cut $500 million from public education, denied all teachers a pay raise and raised tuition at community colleges – all while allocating tens of millions of dollars for private school vouchers.
This Republican plan only offers a pay raise to a select few teachers at a time when ALL teachers in North Carolina deserve a raise. The plan DOES NOT raise teacher pay to the national average, DOES NOT make teacher pay in NC competitive with other states – like Virginia – that are luring teachers away and DOES NOT offer a plan that will prepare our students for the modern workforce.
Perhaps most appalling is the fact that the money to give ALL North Carolina teachers a pay raise exists in the state budget but the GOP would rather use that money to give tax breaks to out-of-state corporations and millionaires.
Please stand with House Democrats today by signing this petition that demands the Governor and the General Assembly Republicans treat our teachers with respect and helps them to get what we as North Carolinians know they deserve.
We thank you for your continued support as we fight for a greater future for all North Carolinians.
Sincerely,
Rep. Larry D. Hall
Democratic Leader
P.S. This petition seeks to protect the North Carolina public education system by asking for a pay raise for ALL North Carolina public school teachers – not just a select few – to the national average. PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TODAY AND FORWARD TO 5 FRIENDS.
Paid for by the NCDP- House Caucus
220 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
Diane Ravitch's blog 
signed
Of course the Democrats will criticize McCrory’s plan….they’re DEMOCRATS. For those as deeply concerned as Democrats
check to see the last time they had a problem with former gov.
Bev Perdue, on whose watch NC fell to 46th place in teacher salaries while increasing the state debt to $2.5 billion.
Blog followers, don’t believe selected reporting, it dangerous to your education, which is ironic on a blog dedicated to education. ajbruno14 gmail
This is not a party problem. It is a slap in the face to every educator here in NC. The raise (over 2 years) will give new teachers a 14% increase in salary. This is unconscionable. It is yet another attempt to drive out teachers with more years of service so that new teachers will enter the workforce at a lesser cost. It is one insult after another here and it will hurt all North Carolinians in the long run if the government does not come up with money to raise everyone’s salary.
McCrory like Perdue won’t have a second term.
It is also a way to cause divisiveness within the ranks.
Yes indeed. According to WRAL a second year teacher will make the same as a ten year teacher.
He said a couple weeks ago (when he was saying “this is the year to get teacher raises done”) that it would be front-loaded.
It is all of the things mentioned here and also, I think, just a statement of distance from how things have been done before. There is a stigma among the right about the old ways being the very thing that perpetuates generational poverty and the black male prison pipeline. The reform movement in all its glory has convinced itself that to align with any method of another era is to ring out complacency and “20th Century” mentality (oh how I hate describing anything by the century in which we live—-to me it is the most presumptuous way of describing anything).
In short, it is out of style to want to support teaching as a career. So even if the obvious answer is staring folks in the face, they will avoid it. McRory is too scared to do what is right, and I imagine having Guckian as his advisor is not helping anything. They have put common sense in Al Gore’s lock box and put it on a shelf.
Got good ideas? Well, they don’t want to hear them. Teaching is for the young until they move on. . .that is the statement they are making.
It will backfire. You put common sense in a lock box because it has suddenly gone out of style, and it will backfire.
This is the era of sophomoric leadership. I feel like I am in middle school all over again.
So after 10 years if dedicated professional service due to inflation–a huge pay cut.
Actually, I think it was 2.7 billion….and she froze teachers salaries after slashing their budget and realizing there was no blood to get from the budget stone because she spent our state into oblivion.
No protests then though.
Protests? In 2009? Do you remember this thing called the Great Recession? Heck, we were just happy to have a job. Some our colleagues lost their jobs during that time.
That was not the time to protest. NOW is the time to protest…continuing austerity in the face of obscene corporate profits andthe rich pocketing so much.
No, Democrats were in control then and Obama was just coronated. No time to protest then.
Now the legislature, Gov and Lt. Gov are flipped – which is no small feat at over 25 seats. So NOW is the time to protest because.. evil republicans or something.
Do you hear yourself when you talk?
@lady – George W. Bush was in charge and is responsible for the recession. But while we’re arguing about republicans vs. democrats, they are both robbing us blind. There is little difference between their approach – Romney would have followed his corporate masters and implemented many of the same concepts Obama did – bailout and even health care. After all, Romney loves socialized health care.
There’s little difference between parties, but Blame Bush!
What a grasp on the motives politicians do what they do. Just opinion, without foundation. Can’t wait to “learn” who Obama’s masters are
Perdue did us no favors, however, if you remember, those pesky bankers about bankrupted us during Perdue’s tenure. Perdue did propose raising teacher pay but was stifled by the republican controlled legislature.
This is different – even based on accounts by McCrory, the economy has picked up. McCrory had the cash but he gave it to rich people in cutting the estate tax and giving the rich state income tax cuts. He also proposed giving PUBLIC monies to private, religious schools (60 million over two years if funded).
He gave his own cabinet a hefty raise and raised the salaries of a few, select state employees.
I believe Diane’s blog readers ought to think twice about selecting YOUR selective reporting.
DAMN RIGHT….”Perdue did you no favors”, Can the teachers complaining about Common Core remember the Perdue adopted it!
Perdue sucked. There is no doubt. McCrory sucks worse. There is no doubt.
AND on whose watch we accepted Race to the Top.
Wow, talk about damned if you do, damned if you don’t…
“Under McCrory’s proposal, 70% of teachers get no raise. Salaries for teachers have been flat since 2008. It takes 15 years for a teacher in NC to earn $40,000 a year. ”
70% get no raise.
They got one in 2012, albeit small – whereas other state employees got zip. The point of this roll out was to raise entry level to meet the demands that we be competitive with surrounding states. The fact remains, where do they want the money to come from when we’re 2.7 billion in debt to the Fed thanks to the previous administration?
Flat since 2008 thanks to Bev Perdue freezing them.
Not quite. They got a 1.2% raise and their supplementals in some districts were increased. The state sets the overall scale, but it’s the districts that dictate the supplements. McCory has not ruled out unfreezing them. Somehow this is a bad thing?
15 years to make 40k.
That’s seriously an unqualified statement and not accurate, because it does not include the supplemental pay provided by the various school districts at THEIR discretion. For example, Wake county’s supplement is over 6K. Pay scale is here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/159698738/2013-14-schedules-Education-Pay-NC
The damage to education was done at the hands of Democrats in NC. They held power for over a century, put the state into huge debt and squashed the education budget. What is a “gimmick” is this letter more concerned with scoring political shots than consider the offer on the table given the budget constraints.
A supplement is like a given bonus which isn’t even close to what they should be in some counties. However that has nothing to do with the governors stupidity. No one will ever understand unless you are a teacher and you are clearly not. Get off your high horse and look at how we are treated. You probably sit behind a desk and get paid more than that. We work everyday before and after school away from our families for a penny.
It’s still added to the paycheck, regardless. Why arene’t you concerned with how that amount is determined or why it isn’t used to actually raise the pay instead of being a supplement.
If you have to be a teacher to understand, good luck convincing others – especially state employees outside of teaching who have a crappier deal than you do. Also, thanks for the personal attacks. I can see you must be a great teacher.
Actually where I teach it is not added to our paychecks. We get them twice every year. Christmas and May. Personal attacks have nothing to do withy teaching ability. I have taught 8 years and been teacher of the year twice already. Also it’s really hard not to point fingers at someone like you who thinks they know what they are talking about. Not every county is the same and some don’t make much of a supplement, but we don’t make much period.
It does take 15 years to get to $40,000 without any supplement. School districts in NC do NOT give the same supplement. Compare the supplements of Wake and Durham to Halifax and Warren.
Right, which is why I wrote “unqualified”. Most teachers do get a supplement and I also stated it was up to the district to determine how much they give. So…?
Why aren’t teachers complaining about that disparity? I haven’t seen a SINGLE one complain about their supplement pay or about the exorbitant salaries of Superintendent. Why is that exactly?
Goodness gracious. The piddly pay raise we received in 2012 didnt even cover our increase in health insurance – we lost money that year.
If NC is 2.7 billion in debt, then please, plese explain how in the world we are cutting the estate tax, cutting taxes on the rich, increasing cabinet pay, rennovating parts of the Governor’s mansion, and giving money to private schools. Sounds like a deluded plan to help out the rich on the backs of our poor and children, all while giving the rich a much needed boost.
And lovely that you choose Wake to use for a local supplement. Now you are a liar, as you are misusing a sample as being representative of the whole. In the county in which I work, our supplement is laughable. And I dont think we’ve seen an increase in at least 6 years.
How do you sleep at night making these outrageous claims…or more aptly, LIES?
Proverbs 6: 16-19.
Except our leadership is turning the concepts all upside down. Now is the time to debate what really is for the common good. Boldly. Honestly. And with intellect.
The spin is that what we’ve had for the last forty years is the epitome of the seven evils. And to me, people like McRory don’t really know what they think. I bet if you gave him sodium pentathol he would weep. (At least, I hope he would). But he likes being in power and that means doing what seems hip and stylish in this era of corporate reform.
Name one lie I’ve told here. Hurl some more insults, it really helps your argument.
Yes, I chose wake, because it’s the second largest district and I live in it. I notice you didn’t refute the dollar amount or how over all 9k teachers took that supplement? Should I have chosen the first largest, the supplement was bigger?
“If NC is 2.7 billion in debt, then please, plese explain how in the world we are cutting the estate tax, cutting taxes on the rich, increasing cabinet pay, rennovating parts of the Governor’s mansion, and giving money to private schools. ”
Cutting the estate tax is common sense and puts more money back into the local economy.
Cabinet pay increases? GEE, Bev Perdue didn’t do that at all during the “Great Recession” as you call it.
The governors mansion is an historic landmark. It has required maintenance as such and the last administration left it in disrepair.
Clearly, government is your sugar daddy and we all need to pay our fair share to line his pockets right?
Please, spare me your moral monday social justice junk.
Lady lib. You couldn’t and wouldn’t last one day in a classroom with 25 plus students. Not a chance. When you get some teaching experience and live in poverty after working 40 plus years then come rant and rave on here but until then you have no room to speak.
Gee,
That was really civil. You really swayed me there.
Teachers in Wake have a larger supplement because no one wants to work in a Title I, urban school. They deserve it. Anyone bold enough to take such a job deserves 9K plus some.
It would be fairer to include an average supplement. The average supplement in 2011 was $3,478. My county received received just under $1500.
Passing the buck to local government may be simple enough for McCrory and his gang, but many localities are strapped. This why funding in NC is primarily done through the state – because of the inequitable economic circumstances among counties. It would not be fair for a rural or urban county, that is cash strapped with little tax revenue, to offer their kids anything less than what the NC Constitution demands in terms of education. Judge Manning agreed back in the 90’s.
And BTW, in 2011, the supplement in Wake was $6,031, but I have an old document. Maybe you are privy to a more up to date document, although a $3,000 hike in three years would be surprising.
“Cutting the estate tax is common sense and puts more money back into the local economy. ”
What!? Okay Ronald Reagan. You people aren’t foolin’ anybody anymore. We fell for that line back in 1983. No more.
If the rich created jobs and the wealth trickled down, we’d be steeped in jobs and there would be little income/wealth inequality. Both are false by fact.
The estate tax makes PERFECT sense – requiring money from multimillionaires and billionaires that used public structures to aid in their gainful economic schemes. It would be socialism for them to GIVE their money to their kin who have done NOTHING to earn it other than inherit a last name. That IS socialism – giving to someone where nothing is required.
Get your head screwed on straight.
“Cabinet pay increases? GEE, Bev Perdue didn’t do that at all during the “Great Recession” as you call it.”
Quit it. I didn’t vote for Perdue. I can’t stand her. I voted for McCrory because he ran as a moderate, not a tea party freak that he is.
I don’t care about being a republican or democrat. I want politicians to work for what’s best for the people, not their self interests, like you are doing coming on here talking smack. This is the wrong environment for your antics. You’ll receive a smack down every time with your republican diatribe. I will not allow you to lie on Dr. Ravitch’s blog.
“The governors mansion is an historic landmark. It has required maintenance as such and the last administration left it in disrepair.”
There are lots of historic landmarks in disrepair. And 100K for his bathroom renovation (not including the other bathrooms totaling 230K)? I read these are estimates. Maybe the cost will come down.
Why did he spend $3,500 on fire pits?
And it’s always about “the last administration” with you people isn’t it?
“Clearly, government is your sugar daddy and we all need to pay our fair share to line his pockets right?
Please, spare me your moral monday social justice junk.”
Shut your stupid mouth. I am not part of the moral Monday movement. I do not share their social views.
I used to be just like you…a mindless republican wandering through life believing everything my wealthy parents told me about rich people being masters of the universe and poor people being scabs of the earth. I believed everything they told me about black people too.
Wake up from your sleepy slumber, open your brain, and but the right damn information inside.
Maybe you should become a public school teacher and a coach and dedicate your life to people while attempting to carve out a living. Everything you believe would change…for the better.
I’m all for giving a cost of living increase to ALL state employees. I’m not a teacher, I’m an “other” state employee who always gets left out of these discussions. I work 12 months out of the year. I only get 3 days for Christmas, not 2 weeks. I get no “Spring Break.” Education is important to me, as I have a child in public school. But most Bojangle’s managers make more than I do and I run a statewide program. People in the private world or in federal government make nearly twice what I do to do the same or less work. It is frustrating. And as stated about, the democrats didn’t do us any better. We at least have gotten a small raise, a bonus, and some extra leave from Gov McCroy, but it is not enough for us to maintain since cost of living is increasing faster than our pay. My health coverage for my son has increased 67% in the past 3 years… since the “Affordable Care Act,” thanks to Obama. I honestly can’t afford to continue this way. I’m currently searching for other employment opportunities.
This has nothing to do with what party is in charge, it has to do with the fact that us teachers are treated like garbage. It has to do with the fact that everything else is rising in cost but our salary stays the same. It is the fact that I have been teaching 8 years and don’t even make 30,000. It is the fact that a new teacher straight out of college is making a little less than me but I have the experience and know the ropes. We have good teachers in the state. We have piss poor parent support and lack of educational value. It is horrible to read these posts about political parties when it’s about treating people with respect. Guess what you didn’t get where you are today without teachers to guide and teach you.
One last thing because I could go on forever, why would a teacher stay in the state of NC. I will be the first one to discourage new teachers to stay. I’m out as soon as I get the chance.
Good piece on how NC public schools are being damaged by ed reform:
“Charter schools were supposed to be laboratories for change in public schools, but in Durham County the experiment is spinning out of control.
The county is being flooded with charters to an extent that has undermined the district school system, a system that charters are supposed to improve by providing competition and testing new approaches to instruction.”
We reached “saturation” in one city in Ohio this year and 17 closed at once, dumping kids back into the (now destabilized) public system, so you have that chaos to look forward to.
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/01/3582773/charter-schools-press-durhams.html?#storylink=cpy
http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/01/3582773/charter-schools-press-durhams.html?
I keep trying to keep teaching in NC but at every turn the government is breaking my heart. Instead of coming up with a comprehensive plan to increase salaries for all teachers in NC, the McCrory machine has put in motion the first swipe at ridding NC of experienced, dedicated teachers like myself (23 years of experience) and have sacrificed for many years, replacing us with cheaper teachers. Beginning salary was embarrassing, so lets boost that, ignore everyone else so they will just leave, and we will have loads of new teachers who will hit a wall of stagnant salaries after the first three years and they will leave too. Weeping for the wheels that are in motion for the end of public education in NC and weeping for the students who will be and are the ultimate victims in this whole mess.
see my comment above.
We are stuck in an issue of Cosmopolitan magazine in terms of dealing with public education. It is totally dominated by sexy fads.
Except to many of us, they are far from sexy. They are dumb.
Let them be dumb. We’ll get rid of them quicker that way.
It is a real word. Now would be a good time to bring it back into circulation. It sure beats the heck out of “21st Century Skills.”
Even in the 21st Century, dumb is dumb.
dumb [duhm] Show IPA
adjective, dumb·er, dumb·est.
1.
lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted.
I am sucked by this and the fact that it makes no sense is nothing new to the world of education! I have been a teacher for 25 years, I am tired of giving, giving, giving for what? Yes, we love kids, but we want to be able to feed and give to our own family as well. If the old saying of “you get what you pay for” is true, well I think teachers are going to be giving a lot less!
Make that “sickened by this”. So angry, I can’t see to spell! Lol
The whole thing is pathetic, just pathetic. McCrory (let them eat cookies) has so much hubris that he doesn’t realize he is an embarrassment to the state and to himself. Pathetic.
I meet more people daily who say they regret voting for him.
I am a proud wife of a public school teacher and this Governor and let’ s not forget Beverly Purdue’s retro active pay cut a few years ago have driven teachers in the state to look beyond NC for fair and meaningful employment.
Is it shameful the corruption and waste this state has as a part of a system that exists to protect its citizens.
Obviously this whole raise was designed to only attract Teach for America. No career teachers wanted in NC. They only want temps. Already there is over 5 million budgeted for TFA-after cutting NC Teaching Fellows now they found some more $ and have the audacity to call it a raise. You got to give them credit for subterfuge. They keep saying they are giving teachers money and fully funding education. They don’t say it is only for temporary teachers who do not have career status or give it up.
Can someone offer a formula which would be acceptable to teachers? I ask this as a retiree who was fired (downsized) without the protection that only teachers have…tenure.
Teachers like many in the public sector seem to believe money “magically” appears.
The private sector must raise prices if labor costs go higher…. with the risk of losing customers.
The public has the “luxury” of raising prices (TAXES) and not lose it customers (unless they move to another town or state)
Then let’s have nothing but Charter schools.
NC is seen as second rate right now. The leadership in NC are not business minded at all because why would businesses come here if our schools continue to be hollowed out. We were a liberal bastion that other parts of the country could get behind and we blew it when we elected McRory. Now they see us as rednecks.
Teachers have not abused tenure and yet they are the ones getting targeted. How about the DMV. Let’s pick on them some. Teachers don’t nap on the job.
They are kicking the bottom guy. And that’s going to help education?
The focus should have been on administrators to get bad teachers out. They have held the keys to this kingdom, not teachers themselves.
Michele Rhee had it all wrong.
What an elitist reply. Wanna compare K-12 education? How about the quality in liberal bastions?
Also, consider population shifts. NC passed NJ two years ago and shortly will pass MI.
And where else on East Coast compares with Research Triangle Park, or the Triangle, home of two of highest rated medical facilities and UNC and Duke.
And speaking of other states, if NC pays the current crop of teachers the same as NYC pays its teachers would the quality of instruction improve?
EVERY state has pluses and minuses, but measuring NC solely on the poor pay of K-12 teachers does not tell the whole story, and moves the discussion from the primary reason we should be commenting…ensuring students get quality education, not the amount someone receives which has driven the discussion from students to teachers.
ajbruno your hero said” “There’s no greater investment we can make than in preparing our kids for the future, and there’s no question that high-quality teachers lead to better student achievement,” said McCrory,
“Making North Carolina a regional leader and nationally competitive will help us attract the very best talent to our schools and brand our state as a teaching destination, not a layover.”
http://www.governor.state.nc.us/newsroom/press-releases/20140210/state-leaders-announce-plan-raise-starting-teacher-pay#sthash.mI1zo5e1.dpuf
If he and his gang believed that at all then making sure teachers – even experienced teachers were paid at the rate most professionals with years of training are paid would be a high priority.
If you care about the future of your community then investing in children would not be so burdensome to you. Right now NC does not even honor its own salary schedule! If they just followed through on what was already promised to all teachers when they were hired that would be a nice start.
Teachers in K-12 don’t have “tenure”–and what they have are the same protections other civil servants have, like police and fire. All they have is the “right” to a sham hearing if they are dismissed or are otherwise disciplined.
Thanks for advising on tenure here in NC. I believe I mentioned I don’t see the reason teachers have tenure in any school, other than it was negotiated and became standard policies in many schools, especially with unions.
In the private sector I was unceremoniously let go by my employer as my services were no longer needed. Don’t see why the public sector merits any greater protection than what is afforded by the US and state dept. of labor.
I did not get a hearing, ‘sham’ or otherwise. Crap happens to adults…and as adults, we need to deal with it.
AJ, you are clearly behind McRory no matter what.
I see K-12 quality as tied to whom it attracts. I will not apologize for wanting the best for my state in that regard and if that makes me an elitist on behalf of my state, so be it.
People will not want to come to RTP if the schools are not good. One of the reasons we attracted RTP and that Hunt was able to help negotiate getting it here is because of our schools.
Education does matter—even the quality attained by our leadership, which I am wondering about these days.
Bruno’s just mad because he got fired from his crappy job. Pull up your boot straps and become a “lateral entry” teacher. Seems like you have some knowledge of the business world. How about teaching high school business classes?
HAHA was this a reply from a teacher??? I guess when adults are expected to behave as adults…it all boils down to bringing up liberal ‘cliques’ (bootstraps).
But, seriously, teaching is a very complex vocation, and teachers are handcuffed by local, state and federal authorities and measured on the performance of children. Not an easy task.
They are so many areas that need shoring up, the problems go well beyond the amount of a teacher’s paycheck.
If the salaries were doubled would the teachers do a better job, would the students be better educated. Probably not, as the same impediments would be in place.
One note about NC teacher salaries ranking 46th (or around there). What does this actually mean? Should every state pay the same wage per teacher, no matter the burden on the taxpayer?
I suggest a variation of the comparison with other states. Consider we rate the performance of teachers between
states. So if NC teachers performance are rated as 46th
than being paid 46th should be acceptable.
Other suggestions? Would be interesting blog inclusions.
Gotta go…time to tug on my bootstraps
Here’s the formula – it is parallel to the U.S. economic approach of the 50’s and 60’s. Offer a strong, public education to all children. Offer strong public services where local citizens vote for those who they believe will run public services more effectively. This strong public sector is the mantle piece on which all other interests lie, whether they be private business or otherwise. How do we build such a strong public sector? You do what they did in the 50’s and 60’s – you tax the hound of the wealthy realizing they are not the masters of the universe, and if it weren’t for the public services they received throughout their lives, they would never have had the ability to make oodles and oodles of money.
Check the historic effective tax rates on the top income bracket during the 50’s and 60’s and even into the 70’s (before Reagan). It will blow your mind.
What we have seen since Reagan is a complete and utter attack on public services, and this includes from the Democrats too. Cut the taxes on the rich and the corporations on the backs of the people. Blame the public sector employees for their luxurious pensions and benefits and CUT, CUT, CUT. The money thereby flows up.
It’s called austerity on behalf of the rich.
We need to leave this model. We need to quit believing that milllionaires and billionaires should only pay 39% of income tax on their income and only 15% on their investment income.
We are tired of the class warfare by the rich upon the middle class and poor in this country. Governor McCrory embodies this approach.
We will not reelect him.
ajbruno – you just displayed the fact that you know nothing about education – attempting to rank the performance of states and paying teachers based on these outcomes.
You should exit this blog and never speak of education policy ever again.
Next thing you know, not only will be forced to prep my kids for the ACT and the state test, I’ll be prepping them for the NAEP too.
Nice going bruno. Go away.
Janna, your points are well-taken. You are right! It is designed to lure more TFA teachers to NC. It all makes sense now.
And the subject of this post is teacher salaries, but nice try at side stepping the subject at hand.
AJ I have just figured out that your primary purpose and subtext is defending McRory.
I see no point in further discussion with you because your comments stop there.
He isn’t campaigning right now, he is representing a state. And tax payers in the state should consider everything he says and does as he floats between those who actually care about NC and those who just parrot ALEC agendas.
The problem is he appears to be one of those politicians who is just always campaigning.
So while you shout “vote for McRory” loudly and clearly in all of your comments, many who are well invested in the state have other things to talk about.
I would add that some teachers who woukd like to see equitable and reasonable increases for teachers in terms of compensation that does not punish experience and reward youth do not need the money. We simply know what is good and fair in this regard because we have read and studied.
So quit campaigning and study! Elitist, yes, when it comes to the quality of leadership I want for my state, absolutely. Quality matters.
Let’s just call this what it is, a ploy to get rid of experienced teachers so they don’t have to pay out the pension plans. If I left, after 8 years here in NC, I get NOTHING, no benefits, no pension, they get to put that back into the system. This is exactly what they want.
AJBruno14, As far as money ‘magically’ appearing. Our legislature in all it’s wisdom cut taxes on the top 5% of wage earners and huge cuts to corporations, we had a Medicaid shortfall because our legislature decided not to accept the government expansion of Medicaid or unemployment. We currently have a surplus in THIS years budget but no raises here. We just want to IDK, NOT be on Medicaid and Food Stamps because we have a family. Read up, sounds like you don’t know much about NC.
You can roll over what was pulled out of your check; it just won’t be matched. I do see your point, but there is liberty in investing what you have and cutting your losses. You aren’t vested yet. I hope you stay, but if you leave, do it now. Call up a Valic rep. Or Horrace Mann. They can help you rollover what you have put away. With Obamacare you might be able to find insurance anyway, if you don’t teach in another state.
I don’t think they really want what they think they want. It’s just that there is a lot of myth in the air, a lot of scapegoating and a lot of silly leadership. At some point we do have to look after # 1. They will regret running a seasoned and caring teaching force off. I personally find being dependent on the state to be a frightening proposition. But these are the times we live in.
Actually I am leaving after 8 years and there was a law passed that I could clear out my retirement and to be sure I am. $7k plus doesn’t even amount to what this state owes me as a teacher. I will rob them of it all.
Chris Washburn never got punished. Reggie Bush never got punished. Instead the people who came behind them got punished and they never committed any rules violations. We punish those of the next generation. My sister and I both graduated from a top tier school in NC and we both teach public school. Our mother (and our mothers in law) live on their NC teaching pensions and are watching their daughters (and in law) go through all this “beat up on teachers for causing all the evils of the world.” I wonder what they are thinking. We both have over ten years experience, but of course we are locked in on a pay step five or six years back. And they want to elevate new teachers to where we are.
Twilight Zone.
Fortunately we are both married to attorneys. But still. This “raise” of McRory’s makes no sense to me unless you consider that he wants twenty-something’s to vote for him.
Is he 15? Is he hoping for a date with a TFA teacher?
I do not get it.
Twenty somethings no apostrophe. Autocorrect.
McCrory.
My apologies for spelling it incorrectly in my quick typing on a phone.
Thank you gor making my decision to leave NC that much easier. You see I was on fence after receiving an offer to teach in VA, but wanted to see if any changes would be made before I accepted. Because if family and friends here in NC I was secretly hoping that NC leaders would reward all teachers for their hard work. I have been here for 8 yearS and have a M. Ed. And hoped to get an increase in pay that would align with what I’m supposed to be making under the state pay scale. Instead I learn that in 2 years I will get a $100 raise and new teachers will be making the same $ as I will even though I have an advanced degree and 10 years experience? Last night I accepted the offer to teach in VA and in turn receive a $12K raise in pay, because VA values their teachers.
Sorry for typos. Hard to type on this tiny phone!
Sorry to see you go.
I’ve been a teacher since 2001. My starting salary was $25, 000. I haven’t had a pay raise in 6 years. And somebody wants to give new teachers my current salary. Really?!!!!
I agree with ajbruno. I am a teacher and unsure why all the anger now. Pat McCrory is not the reason why we’re 48th. Bev Perdue is and not one teacher I know has blamed her for anything. I’m baffled by that. We should have been wearing red a long time ago.
It was the Dems in NC that voted for Common Core and shoved it down our throats here in NC.