Union #38 Elementary Schools are very special places, where students learn, grow and thrive. Because we teach the youngest students in the district, our role as teachers is a fluid one, and writing a job description that encompasses all we do for children would be almost impossible.
We are at once teachers, counselors, coaches, nurses, cheerleaders and serve as “daytime parents” to our students.
Many of our residents are not aware of the significant pay gap that exists between secondary and elementary teachers right here in our district. The data shows that, when our students graduate and move on to middle and high school at Frontier, where a majority of teachers are men (the opposite of what you see at the elementary level) they are paid more for teaching the same students, and have more generous benefits.
Why is this? Because that’s the way it is and always has been? And if this is the case, why?
The world has changed vastly over the last two decades, as has teaching. Elementary teachers have worked diligently to embrace new curriculum and technologies to prepare our students to live in a global society. As teachers, we have done the work to ensure success in the 21st century learning standards for our students. Where is the pay that should accompany all of these changes?
Do we really want to be a district that maintains antiquated values of compensating male teachers in high school more monetarily than their predominantly female counterparts in elementary school? It is time our pay scale is brought up to 21st century standards. It is time to compensate all teachers with a fair and equitable wage by closing this gap.
Julie Fallon
Deerfield Elementary School
The writer is a second grade teacher.