Smith: It’s time to give teachers the salaries they deserve

INDIANAPOLIS - The following op-ed piece regarding Indiana teacher salaries was submitted for publication by State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary):

If we have learned only one thing from the Red For Ed Rally this past November, it’s that Hoosier teachers have an unwavering dedication to their students. So much so that they are willing to go into a field that pays peanuts in order to enrich the lives of Hoosier children.

It's time for us to stop disrespecting the Hoosiers committed to our children when it comes to paying them, let alone valuing them. When we look at countries like China, where teachers are revered like doctors, I am embarrassed by the decisions that have been made by the General Assembly. The legislature has increasingly abused teachers unions and groups who represent them by refusing to listen and disenfranchising their voices.

Bringing to the table decades of educational experience, I know firsthand the sacrifices teachers make for their students. Do we need to make their livelihood yet another thing they have to give up in order to work in their chosen field?

In my almost 30 years as a state representative, I have watched as Indiana’s teacher salaries have remained stagnant. In the nation, Indiana is ranked 35th  in average teacher pay. We are experiencing a teacher shortage, and there’s no mistake as to why.

For a state that has recently been touted as a great place to attract businesses, it is doing a terrible job attracting educators. Compared to surrounding states, Indiana has the worst starting teacher salary. There won’t be a thing to stop our present and future teachers from moving to Illinois or Ohio or Michigan for a better paying job if we don’t start making changes in the upcoming session.

The Republicans haven’t hesitated to change testing and standards for teachers in the past 10 years, but when it comes to the average change in teacher pay, Indiana ranks last in the nation.

Furthermore, over the last two years, Indiana has spent $133 million on standardized testing, according to Indiana’s teachers’ unions If we can allot that amount of tax dollars to a piece of paper, why can’t we give the human beings that have to implement it a proper raise?

Last year, House Democrats offered four separate plans to ensure Hoosier teachers get the raises they’ve earned, but none of them received the Republican support they needed to succeed. Though it’s not a budget year, we will continue pushing for these plans until we get more money for our educators.

Those in control have consistently put teachers in the back seat when it comes to the state budget. During the upcoming session, it’s my goal to advocate for our educators as much as I can. Their voices are the ones that matter when it comes to their salaries, and my purpose will be to amplify their words in every discussion we have.

I think we can all agree that we want the best and the brightest teaching our children, but we don’t stand a chance if we refuse to give them the money they deserve.