WV STATE OF THE STATE: Proposed Teacher Pay Boost May Not Satisfy Unions

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WV STATE OF THE STATE: Proposed Teacher Pay Boost May Not Satisfy Unions

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Posted: 7:50 PM Jan 9, 2008
Last Updated: 9:35 PM Jan 9, 2008
Reporter: Associated Press
Email Address: news@wsaz.com

23 comments

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Governor Manchin is pushing for a 3 percent raise for teachers and other professional educators.

His 2008 legislative proposal calls for an additional $400 dollars for classroom teachers.

Administration officials say that with both, the average teacher would get a $1,600 boost in pay.

But that may not be enough for the state's two teachers unions.

The National Education Association says the average teacher in West Virginia was paid $40,531 in the 2006-2007 school year. That's more than $10,000 below the national average of $50,964.

The state's 17,000 member NEA chapter wants teaching salaries to start at $35,000, which is about $10,000 more than new West Virginia teachers currently receive.

The 7,300-member American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia is calling for a similar increase, with a $10,000 across-the-board salary increase spread over three years. That group wants a $5,000 salary increase the first year, with $2,500 for each of two subsequent years.

Last year, the Legislature approved a 3.5 percent teacher pay increase.

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Posted by: jamie on Aug 12, 2008 at 02:08 PM
To those who keep saying to teachers "stop whining" You go spend 6 years in college for your Bach. and Masters degree, then go put up with 25 of your out of controll children, and then tell us to stop whining!

Posted by: Adam on Apr 22, 2008 at 03:03 PM
I am a new teacher who is about to finish my master's program. I am currently thinking about moving out of WV due to the low salaries. I went to college for 6 years and I can make $10,000 more per year elsewhere. I love WV and do not want to leave but many of the young teachers are now considering going elsewhere because WV ranks 47th in teacher salaries. Yes, the average salary in WV may be around $27,000, but very few of those people making below $30,000 go to college for 6 years. I see so many people bashing teachers on here and to those people I ask...do you want all of the highly qualified teachers to leave WV and have your children educated by people who are not qualified to do so? If so then I feel sorry for your children because that would be a major diservice to them. I don't think that lobbying for more pay should be classified a whining. Teachers in WV are just trying to make their salaries more competitive with other professionals who attend college for so many years.

Posted by: T. C. on Feb 5, 2008 at 10:52 AM
WELL I am a college student who is studying to become an elementary teacher. I think that teachers do deserve a pay raise with lower peia. You need to ask yourselves one question. Who helped you get your careers? If it wasn't for the teachers nobody would be educated. That also includes the government and legislature. You wouldn't be where you are today if you didn't have teachers to teach you and prepare you fore your future. So I think WV needs to take care of this matter. If we don't addess it and fix it. Who will be here to teach our young generation. Because if their is better pay somewhere else, of course people are going to follow it. Face it people this day it takes every penny to make ends meet.

Posted by: Carol on Jan 24, 2008 at 07:35 PM
I have several Teachers in my Family and I think, if Teachers do their Jobs correctly, then you can't pay them enough. But if you live in a small, Poor, State such as ours, then you have to expect to be paid at a lower pay. You see most teachers are well above the average of the common man. We have too many elderly that is barely making ends meet & a lot of Families that are living from Paycheck to Paycheck. The very people (that just got a pay raise) have the nerve to ask for more, even knowing how many of their Students comes to School without anything to eat and need better clothes and shoes, are to worried about what other Teachers make in another State. They may be making more money, but most of them live in a State that has more resorces & it takes more to live in that State. But the Teachers are not by themselves, the Governor, House & Senate (work for 8 weeks)get paid way too much and lets not forget their expense account(way too high) And Grants are given away like candy.

Posted by: BullMooseParty on Jan 24, 2008 at 03:30 PM
How can we stress the importance of education when the vast majority of us coudl qualify for government assistance. Take for example myself. I have a family size of 5. Yearly I can make up to $44641. I dont even make $40, 000. And yes my kids do get reduced lunch. I only have 11 years and a MA 45. The masters and 45 were forced so that I could "keep my job". I dont hear my dentist or doctor taking more classes because they Have too! The scarly part is for beginners. Married with 1 child teachers will start at reduced lunch and possibly assistance from food stamps as well. The Governor should look back to his pay raise during his last term and see how the much of a percent he got. More than 3%. Plus the state his political appointees must be a certain percentage of his income...so they all got raises! Education Means so much!

Posted by: TS on Jan 22, 2008 at 06:17 PM
I also teach. Those of you who think we put in less than 8 hours a day, know nothing about teaching. Most teachers have Master's degrees and are required to take more hours. Most jobs do not require anything after being hired. We try to teach children and make a difference. We struggle when there are parents who don't even care where their children are. We could increase test scores, if more parents cared about their child's education and had higher expectations for them. It is hard to teach a child that has a life long goal of being on welfare, like everyone else in their family. It always seems easy for others to slam teachers, instead of supporting them. I remember when the teaching profession was respected. But, now we are seen as gloried babysitters. Walk a week in our shoes.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 11, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Jane,not all of us have unruly children.I used to like the girls that went to those private christian schools when I was in high school.Talk about easy......

Posted by: Fed up on Jan 11, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Yes, quit whining behind your big bad union. Craig is right on the mark with his comment. The Governor and the lawmakers need to look at reducing some taxes to ease the burden for all West Virginians...not just the teachers and state workers. Everyone needs help NOW.

Posted by: Jane on Jan 10, 2008 at 07:02 PM
Maybe teachers would be happy to receive there low pay if they did not have to be bullied, harassed, and threatened by your children every day. They should receive hazard pay to teach your children. Thank God, I am lucky enough to send my children to private school. If you had to pay for day care for your unruly children it would cost you more than a teacher gets paid. Parents should thank teachers for baby setting you children every day.

Posted by: A teacher on Jan 10, 2008 at 06:07 PM
I am in my fifth year of teaching and made $31,000 last year.That includes tutoring after school as well as two sessions of an adult community education class.I spend more than 8 hours in the classroom and at home working on things for my class.The public is misinformed when it comes to what goes into our day.I work my heart out to make sure that your child reaches all of the goals.I understand how many of you feel when you are on the outside looking in.I don't know your life nor do you know mine.I went to college to become a teacher so that I could make a difference in the lives of children and that is what I am going to do.I am not going to cry if I don't get a raise.I am not standing begging for it.I am doing my job and being the best teacher I can.That probably explains why all of my kids in my class are ready to go to the next grade now.I don't worry about the outside.I have dedicated my life to these kids.I dropped the union as well as extra health insurance to buy diapers.

Posted by: Jon on Jan 10, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Anybody looked up what's happening to teachers in the eastern panhandle of WV? Living expenses are sky-rocketing. Pay isn't. Teachers are leaving the eastern panhandle to make more money in VA and PA. It's embarassing.

Posted by: Bill on Jan 10, 2008 at 04:27 PM
It is time for the state to tell the NEA, and AFT that they will no longer deal with them. The counties list what they pay teachers. The teachers are not held looking down the business end of a gun and told to work. Yes they have a difficult job, work long hours, and have other stressors. Many other occupations have the same, or worse, stressors. Why does everyone seem to think they have the most difficult job? It is time for people(Not just teachers) to grow up, quit whining, and get on with life. I am sick of people always whining "What about the children?" That is old and tired. Maybe the teachers should question why the unions always back the same old politicians who have been in for 70yrs. This may be part of the reason they don't make squat. Remember that people on welfare and goverment assistance do not contribute(Don't pay taxes). This means a lower tax base, and less money for teachers.

Posted by: Sam on Jan 10, 2008 at 03:31 PM
I believ our teachers should have a good livable wage, however the keep telling us how much the teachers make in MD., OH. as a basis for the wages they should recieve, which is an unfair comparison with out comparing annual wage and cost of living of west Virginia verses these states. Figure these factors in and I would say their wages are very close.

Posted by: anon on Jan 10, 2008 at 02:54 PM
These teachers need to quit whining about their salaries and start teaching our kids. If the average wage is over $40K in WV, thats a whole lot more than most other people make. Plus a teacher only works about 9mths out of the year for less than 8 hrs a day. If they want more money then get a part time job for the three months you are not teaching. I have to work 65-75 hrs per week just to make around $37K per year, working all year long. If you dont want to teach then get out of the school house.

Posted by: John on Jan 10, 2008 at 02:40 PM
Perhaps the teachers should question what the unions are doing for them. How long have they been in the union? Where do they rank in pay? Are they getting their moneys worth from their union dues?? Maybe they should sop paying union dues, and take care of this themselves. They at least would have the union dues in their pocket and not the union bosses pockets.

Posted by: Harry on Jan 10, 2008 at 02:25 PM
To Craig and Jim...way to go. If you guys would run for office, I'd vote for you.

Posted by: MAXINE on Jan 10, 2008 at 02:08 PM
If the teachers would put as much energy into teaching as they do standing in the halls of the capitol shouting and singing, then our children would be better educated. I think I might go and stand outside my boss's office this afternoon and start singing, maybe he will give me a raise. If teachers don't like their pay..GET ANOTHER JOB, thats what the rest of us do.

Posted by: Jim on Jan 10, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Well the teachers are back at it again I see. Same old story. Please...help me hold back the tears. I'm so tired of hearing about the 'poor under-paid teachers'. Just what will be enough? I don't believe the teachers will ever be satisfied. Let's put this issue to rest and worry about the rest of the citizens of this state.

Posted by: Bluto on Jan 10, 2008 at 08:00 AM
The teachers should get more money cause they deserve it but I would like to mention that other state employees have not been given raises when the teachers have got them. So It would be nice that all employees for the state get a raise just not the teachers cause your not the only state workers living in poverty. I would like to ask some of these teachers to trade paychecks with some of the other state employees who get paid less. Furthermore, no one state employee or group Is more important then the next. So to the teachers you should stop thinking about yourself all the time because there are other state employees who dont see half of the raises you all get.

Posted by: Craig on Jan 10, 2008 at 06:44 AM
The average pay for all WV workers is $27,900 per year. Do teachers make more than this? Before you start feeling too sorry for WV teachers, ask yourself: If the school year is 180 days and there are 365 days in a year, does that come out to working about every other day? Would your employer let you off work (with pay) to go to Charleston to protest about your low pay? Does your employer expect you to be sick to use a "sick day"? Can you retire from your job at 54 years old? Can you name a teacher that pays less for their health care than you do? Is their care better than yours? If your employer decides to "down size" and cut your job, could you tell him no - because you have "tenure"? Have you ever heard of a teachers job being sent to Mexico or India? Recap: Pay is about 50% more than the state average. Work load is about 50% less than the state average. Benefits are about 500% more than the state average -- Pretty hard to feel sorry for WV teachers isn't it???

Posted by: Paula on Jan 9, 2008 at 11:37 PM
It is simply amazing, last year West Virginia teachers received a 3.5% pay raise and still our state dropped to 48th in the nation on the pay scale. Sad but true.

Posted by: Retiring on Jan 9, 2008 at 10:03 PM
I am eligible to retire at the end of this school year. If I, a 34 year experience teacher am only worth a 3% raise by a governor that states that education is the solution to the state problems, well I will take my $500 bonus for letting them know I am retiring early and ride into the sunset. Cowboy Manchin, keep up the good work improving education in WV

Posted by: Thank you on Jan 9, 2008 at 08:10 PM
Amen!

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