heartbeat of cabarrus tour
education
I was shocked to discover when I began meeting with teachers how scared they were to speak out publicly about their views. I soon learned from these teachers that the over-politicization of our education system was creating an atmosphere which made teachers feel demonized and attacked. As such, we have decided to keep all of these conversations anonymous.
I talked to several local educators who were at various stages of their career. I learned a lot about the troubles associated with educating during the Covid-19 pandemic, and I gathered feedback about my role as a school board member. Central to these conversations was frustration about policymaking in Raleigh, particularly around a lack of voice for teachers in critical decision-making spaces.
After speaking with local teachers I have learned:
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Educators feel that they do not have a voice to speak out about issues happening in their classrooms.
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Educators feel undervalued, especially as reflected by their pay.
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Educators feel that the over-politicization of teaching has created an antagonistic relationship between parents and teachers, which is harmful to the success of kids.
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Cabarrus county educators are leaving the district to teach in higher paying districts, especially because the retirement scheme for teachers in North Carolina is based on the educator’s five highest paying years.
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Cutting retirement benefits, teachers’ fellows, and masters pay incentives prevent us from attracting the best educators.
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Educators are sidelined to subcommittees instead of real decision-making spaces.
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Teachers need more continuing education so they can develop on the job.