By Kelly Herman, K-12 Assistant Principal at Falls Lake Academy, NC
My name is Kelly Herman. I’ve spent the last 24 years teaching children in Granville County. This year I moved into an Assistant Principal role in hopes of being able to afford our current economy and to explore a different side of my talents and abilities. I didn’t leave the classroom because I hated teaching. Quite the opposite; I loved it! I enjoyed building relationships with students, partnering with families, and helping students achieve their personal best. Thankfully, I enjoy my new position too, but I am not the norm. Most people who leave the classroom do so to go outside of education to find higher paying jobs. Many aren’t leaving because they want to, but because they can’t afford to stay.
When I went into education, I knew I wouldn’t get rich from this profession. I didn’t know the economy would freeze in 2008 and things would be downhill with teacher pay from that point on. Education is a hot topic in every election, but promises are never fulfilled from either side. It has become glaringly obvious that our leaders do not support veterans in our profession. How else can you explain first year teachers making $41,000 while someone with 25 years of experience makes $55,950? How does this encourage people to go into education or want to stay? Years 15-24 are also frozen on our pay scale. Are there other professions where years of experience are disrespected in this way?
There have not been adequate raises to offset the frozen pay scale over the last 10 years of my career. Absolutely everything has gone up in price and value, except for my monthly check. This coming January, state employees are paying more for our health care by way of increased premiums and higher co-pays. How can you vote to increase what educators and state employees pay out, but you can’t agree on a budget that provides a raise?
In schools, we teach our students how to handle conflict and disagreements. We educate them on give and take. We need our lawmakers to practice their conflict mediation skills and get to work. You are going back into session on October 20th. We have been waiting on a budget since July 1. Both the Senate and the House, as well as our Governor, included raises for state employees and educators in their proposed budget. Yet here we are without one pay raise being agreed on. If both sides agree there should be a raise, why are we still seeing 0% of an increase?
Google continues to say that “it is possible that no comprehensive budget will be passed this year.” This is unacceptable. I understand tax cuts and a children’s hospital are just a few of the items you disagree on. But your state employees deserve better from each of you. Please try harder to serve the employees of NC by passing a budget that includes significant raises. Do the jobs you were elected to do and work through the conflicts of your party lines. There are real people with real families working hard all across this state. Make your decisions with all of us in mind. Don’t let this next work session come and go without providing long awaited raises.
