Teachers speak out about the North Carolina Senate's budget proposal
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Senate budget that was unveiled on Monday brought the fight over education to Raleigh.
The Republican-driven budget offers raises to some teachers, and essentially trades more teachers for fewer teacher's assistants.
"It's a big, big slap in the face," said Melanie Walker, a retired art teacher at Daniels Middle School.
Walker says she loves teaching but hates what's happening to teachers in North Carolina.
"No pay for veteran teachers," Walker asked. "It's really hard for me to believe that North Carolina doesn't value veteran teachers. After teachers put their entire lives - their entire careers - given to the students."
Walker is speaking on the fact that in the newly released budget, younger teachers would make more money while veteran teachers with 25 years or more of experiences wouldn't get a raise.
"You really aren't on your game at least for 5 years or so," said Walker, "and you continue to improve over the years. A veteran teacher is invaluable to a school."
Rodney Ellis, president of the state's largest teacher's association, NCAE, agrees.
"We do need to be more competitive at recruiting brand new teachers but at the same time we have to show more appreciation for the teachers who stuck with this profession in North Carolina's classrooms for so many years," Ellis said. "It's kind of a slap in the face that they're getting nothing."
Walker's other concern with the Senate is that it cuts funding for almost 8,600 teacher's assistants in North Carolina, on top of the 7,000 TAs lost since the start of the recession.
"TAs are not baby sitters," said Ellis, "they are extensions of the classroom. They teach when a teacher is out. When a sub comes in, it's not that sub that can make sure that learning continues. It's that teacher's assistant who's been there to allow stability in the classroom."
Ellis also raised concern over unintended consequences.
"Teacher's assistants often double as bus drivers in our school system," he said. "There have been so many cuts that local school systems have had to eliminate bus driving positions and required teacher's assistants to actually have their CDL license in order to fill that void in transportation."
"There's a massive amount of money going to teacher pay increases," said Terry Stoops with the conservative John Locke Foundation.
Stoops points out that the budget would also add about 6,700 new teachers to the system over the next two years and reduce class size in grades K-3.
"This budget makes significant increases in teacher pay, the number of teachers in the classroom and class size reduction," Stoops said. "Some would say that's at the expense of teacher assistant positions but this has been a long standing policy that the Senate has advanced every budget year."
And it's the TA issue that Stoops thinks will be the sticking point between the House and Senate as they try to reconcile their two spending visions.
"The question is," said Stoops, "do you invest heavily in new teaching positions or to maintain the teacher assistant workforce? I think we have two very divergent views between the House and Senate on which path to choose."
