My name is Jolie Burgos Smith. I am a Northampton resident and a proud second-grade teacher at Jackson Street School.
Last week, as I was driving and listening to the radio (94.3), I heard a talk show host talk about something that was alarming. She said that, “Northampton has made $725,000 in revenue from the New England Treatment Access sales. When asked, Mayor Narkewicz said, the NETA sales will be allocated for road repairs.”
So the joke made by the host was “pot for potholes.” Clearly, this joke was not meant for Northampton teachers. As funny as this may be to many, as a teacher in Northampton, I find this “joke” troubling.
Our schools are in the midst of contract negotiations. Northampton teachers are among the lowest paid teachers in the state. The average salary for a Massachusetts teacher is approximately $75,000 a year. Northampton’s average is $61,000 a year. This has not happened overnight. Since becoming a teacher, my cost of living “raise” averages less than 1 percent, while inflation averages 1.7 percent. This happens while the school budget grows at about 3 percent annually.
The proposed budget for Northampton schools is to add $700,000 for new positions, yet the proposed wage increase for teachers is 1.3 percent, 1.5 percent, and 1.5 percent for the next three years. This increase does not keep up with the rate of inflation and does not bridge the wage gap with our state colleagues.
I ask Superintendent John Provost, Mayor Narkewicz, and the members of School Committee, do you not value the work we do? Does this wage increase keep us current with the cost of living? Do you not want to do right by our children and families?
I say to Provost, Narkewicz, and the members School Committee, please do the right thing! Give your teachers and all school employees a fair wage increase, an increase that is many years overdue!
Jolie Burgos Smith
Northampton