Empowering Educators: Advocating for Fair Compensation and Resources by Cindy

Empowering Educators: Advocating for Fair Compensation and Resources by Cindy - September 2023 Scholarship Essay

Teachers are the backbone of high school. Not only do they deal with moody teenagers for 7 hours of five days, but they educate us and help us through school work and personal issues. However, they get paid a quarter of what they should deserve.
While many students can buy school supplies for themselves, some are less fortunate than others and most high school districts do not pay for school supplies. In spite of that, the teachers go into their own pockets and buy the supplies needed for their students due to the sheer fact that they care and support their students.
Additionally, teachers can choose between dividing their paychecks evenly all year or only during the school year. Both are overall poor choices as a consequence of their low wages. Dividing their paychecks evenly all year ensures they have money to spend during the summer, however, they receive a reduced amount. As a result of this, they have to limit their spending and use their income carefully. Considering the other option of only receiving income during the school year, they have a higher amount of earnings which they can spend more openly, but only summer starts, the amount of money left over is their limit for the summer.
Why should teachers have to choose between this financial decision if they are educating future doctors, leaders, and world changers? Why should they worry about whether they have enough money to take their own families on vacation or ensure that they have enough food for the dinner table? They do not owe us anything, but we owe them everything for our lives. Teachers watched us grow up and shape our characters, whether it was the strict English teacher or the fun math teacher, They helped us grow to be the people we are, the people we see as our leaders, our doctors, and people who have changed the world. We do not owe them enough credit, which is why if I had the authority to change my school, I would raise the teacher's wages so they are getting paid the same as highly educated professionals. That's the least we can do.