NCAE North Carolina Association of Educators
News Bulletin
November 2019
Vol. 50, No. 4
www.ncae.org
Why Are Those Who Commit Their Professional Lives to Our Children Worth Less?
“It is incomprehensible that Republican leadership would think educators could be pressured into taking such an inadequate offer.” — President Mark Jewell
While the citizens of North Carolina continue to wait on a final budget, Republican leaders have put a new twist on the fight by announcing a new plan for educator raises. A new bill would give teachers essentially the same pay raise they would have received under the Republican budget that was vetoed by Governor Cooper earlier in the year. That wasn’t enough for educators in June, and it isn’t enough now. But, if Democrats join the Republicans in overriding the governor’s veto, additional supplements will kick in, taking teachers up to a 4.4 percent increase over two years. A slight increase to be sure, but still insufficient by any standard. In a statement to the press, President Mark Jewell said the educator pay
proposal is wildly insulting to educators of every level. “The miniscule pay increase offered in the proposal passed by the General Assembly is an outrageous affront to the professionalism of every educator in our state, be they a teacher, an Education Support Professional, or a retiree. It is incomprehensible that Republican leadership would think educators could be pressured into taking such an inadequate offer, and we stand with the governor in opposition to this legislation.” In addition to the new educator raise bill, Republicans rolled out House Bill 377, which would fund teacher step increases. The bill would give teachers an additional percentage raise as they move up the experience ladder.
Republicans are using this too as a ploy to get around the governor’s veto. Even with the proposed increases, ESPs would still get less than other state employees have already received, and retirees would be ignored entirely. The question being asked is: Why are the people who commit their professional lives to our children worth less? North Carolinians have waited more than nine months for the General Assembly to do their job and put forth an adequate and reasonable state budget, and they are still waiting. Educators shouldn’t be caught up in Raleigh politics while other state employees get raises! We will find out more when lawmakers return to Raleigh on November 13.