Why Should Teachers Be Paid?

Between 40 and 50 percent of teachers quit in their first 5 years. Many, because of low pay. Teachers are not getting paid enough and need to be able to rely on their pensions after they retire. Citizens need to push for better teacher salaries because of what they do for their students and because they teach the next generation of our country. Being a teacher is an important and valued profession. There are many reasons why teachers should be paid more. Teachers work outside of school hours, there are shortages of teachers, teaching is a stressful job, and teachers prepare for classes over the summer.
Teachers actually work outside of the traditional school hours. Many people think that teachers do not work a full 8 hour shift. It is usually
Teachers work hard during their careers and are entitled to their full pensions. Pensions should not be withheld from them. Different states all across the United States are behind on paying teachers’ pensions by around 500 million dollars. That is money not given back to the teachers that have earned it. This nationwide problem affects 3.5 million teachers (Zinshteyn). States need to find a better way for paying for teachers pensions. Teachers need to be rewarded for their commitment to their job. A paper from Thomas B. Fordham Institute argues that teachers are not getting a good enough retirement deal (Barnum). Teachers need to have a better retirement option. The average starting teacher pay is $36,141 in America. However, the average teacher salary is $56,383 (Caffe). Teachers’ average pay raises have been decreasing since 1999 which means they have not received adequate raises for the last 15 years (Partelow). Teachers should not have to quit because they are not making enough money. The National Education Association says that 50 percent of new teachers quit during their first five years because of low pay. Fresh out of college teachers who lack experience cannot afford houses near their schools. They also cannot pay off their student loans. This financial stress can force new teachers to quit teaching and try to find more profitable careers (Black). New teachers need better pay to help pay off all of their college loans and expenses. Overall teachers are struggling to get by and need better pay to help with their financial