I support Chris Jones for Governor‘s plan for teacher salaries and I will continue to advocate for better working conditions for teachers and staff as well as raises they so desperately need. Teachers raises NOW >> tax cuts to the rich. #payARteachers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Contact: Chenoa Summers, chenoa4ar@gmail.com, 901-303-8412
JONESBORO, AR: Educators in Arkansas are valued members of our community. They often spend more time with our children than we do, and so we must ensure they have pay to not only survive, but to thrive. Our children have a right to quality education and this means giving our teachers the tools, training, funding for classroom supplies, and salaries that they have earned and deserve according to their experience and qualifications.
Surrounding states have implemented pay raises for their teachers, and to be able to recruit and retain teachers Arkansas must at minimum provide similar increases in pay. The current budget surplus will be used to give the wealthiest Arkansans an accelerated permanent tax cut while leaving those making under $40,000 – including most new teachers – with nothing aside from the one-time tax cut for this year. Teachers are getting frustrated, and demanding that they’re paid what they’re worth. Are millionaires more important than the professionals who teach our kids every day? That is the true question we must ask ourselves. I support Democratic nominee for governor Chris Jones’s commitment to raise teacher pay to at least $50,000/year and will advocate for his plan when elected to the state senate.
Over the last week, I have listened to countless stories from teachers from all different disciplines around the state about how they pay for their classroom expenses out of pocket while having to work two or three side jobs just to make ends meet. These stories are powerful and go to show how much teachers care about our children and their education. It is time to listen to the teachers – not the millionaires – and give them the pay raise they deserve and desperately need.
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