But Tennessee teachers face a low-pay nightmare
Tennessee teachers are some of the lowest-paid in the nation – and among the lowest-paid in the Southeast.
In fact, only 25% of Tennessee teachers earn more than $60,000/year.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
In fact, in Washington State, it’s not.
I took a look at teacher pay in Olympia – starting teachers there can expect to earn $60,000 with a bachelor’s degree. Pay goes up to $120,000 depending on years of experience and education level.
In other words, it doesn’t have to be this way.
As I’ve written before, Tennessee continues to make policy choices indicating that the priorities of Gov. Bill Lee and his legislative allies are NOT investing in public education or public school educators.
The state spent $500 million to help build a new stadium for the Tennessee Titans.
The state in this past legislative session passed a $1.6 billion corporate tax break.
Past legislators have eliminated the Inheritance Tax and the Hall Tax on investment income.
For just a little more of what state taxpayers (at the behest of Lee and lawmakers) gifted the Titans, we could give all teachers a 20% raise.
Making that an ongoing commitment would be simple: Just repeal the ridiculous corporate tax giveaway the legislature just passed.
Tennessee policymakers could make investing in schools a priority – but they persist in choosing not to.
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