Save Jobs of North Carolina Teachers

Across the state of NC, as the education budget thins, our children are getting the short end of the stick. Teachers are being let go, resources are being lost, class sizes are increasing, teacher assistants are being eliminated, and schools are disappearing altogether. In order to help with the budget crisis, public schools are being asked to cut their budgets.

When NC already ranks 44th in the nation in spending on education, can we really afford to cut spending? By cutting the education budget our children are being deprived of the best possible education. Education is paramount to the future success of our children.

A cuts-only approach will not begin to solve the problems we are experiencing; in fact, it only ensures we will pay an even higher premium socially & economically, personally & professionally, for decades to come. As a teacher, a parent, a home-owner, and a tax-payer -- as well as a human being -- we are horrified by all the cuts that directly impact children in our state, especially those to education. You are creating further inequality between the have's and have-not's, ensuring that only those families, schools, districts, and communities with money will be able to bridge the gap between the ideal of high expectations and the practicality of financial resources.

There is a saying that goes, “Those who can, can; those who can’t, teach.” This saying truly disgusts me because as a teacher, I have found that this is one of the most rewarding and important jobs to have. Without our teachers, there would be no other jobs. Not only are we overworked and substantially underpaid, but based on the cuts public schools are being asked to make, we are also underappreciated. In order to teach students, the strategies and techniques that are used span across all of the content areas; therefore, it is the responsibility of all teachers.

Governor Bev Perdue states “Every kid – no matter where he or she lives in NC – must graduate from high school with what it really takes to succeed in a career, in a two- or four- year college or in Technical training.” How can those trusted to protect NC public education even consider eliminating positions within school systems? Sadly, by making the proposed budget cuts, you are affecting the future of our children by limiting how much they learn and how well they learn.

As the Governor, do you really believe that every kid should receive an education that will enable and prepare them to become our future leaders? If so, how will eliminating positions in the schools and increasing class sizes help kids perform at or above grade level so that they can graduate and become successful, productive members of society.