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John,
Today is World Teachers Day, a good time to reflect on the state of American education – and the teachers who make that education possible despite all the obstacles and hardships placed on them.
It probably isn’t news to you that teachers in America are vastly underpaid. But did you know the starting salary for a K-12 teacher in Idaho averages just $14 an hour? And preschool teachers may make as little as $9 an hour!
And while the average salary for Idaho teachers reached an “all time high” in the 2021-2022 school year at $53,100, it still fell nearly $12K below the national average.
As a father of two boys in Idaho public schools, I’m appalled at the conditions in which their teachers are forced to work. Our schools rank 42nd in safety and 35th in quality nationally.
Between the COVID19 pandemic to far-right attacks on curriculum and school programs meant to protect and support our students, the last few years have been incredibly hard for teachers and school employees. It’s no surprise to me that people are leaving the profession in droves.
Teachers have one of the hardest jobs in the world, and I firmly support their right to a fair, living wage, strong labor protections, and safe, sustainable, modern school facilities to help our students thrive.
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My opponent, the 24-year Republican incumbent, has a radically different mindset on public education.
Mike Crapo has promoted right-wing attacks on school curriculum and pressured schools to reopen without adequate COVID protections while the pandemic was still surging. He supports policies that would gut funding for public schools even more than they already do.
Finally, Crapo voted for (and still promotes!) the Trump tax cuts that eliminated tax deductions for teachers who have to spend their own money on classroom supplies.
It’s clear that Mike Crapo does not support teachers. His policies harm students like my sons and threaten to push Idaho even further behind in education.
There are more than 3.6 million teachers in the United States supporting nearly 77 million students, but it’s getting harder and harder to keep good people in the classroom with the constant attacks and low pay.
- David
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©2022 David Roth for U.S. Senate, all rights reserved.
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