Called to Teach

I know that today's topic is old news for all the Alabama followers that I have.  However to some that may follow this blog from other parts of the country, this will be new and offensive.  Recently in DeKalb county Alabama, a state senator Shadrack McGill stated that teachers don't need rasies, but of course voted to uphold  a law passed to raise senate salaries. This is what he said at a prayer breakfast in Fort Payne:

McGill said that by paying legislators more, they’re less susceptible to taking bribes.

“He needs to make enough that he can say no, in regards to temptation. … Teachers need to make the money that they need to make. There needs to be a balance there. If you double what you’re paying education, you know what’s going to happen? I’ve heard the comment many times, ‘Well, the quality of education’s going to go up.’ That’s never proven to happen, guys.

“It’s a Biblical principle. If you double a teacher’s pay scale, you’ll attract people who aren’t called to teach.

“To go in and raise someone’s child for eight hours a day, or many people’s children for eight hours a day, requires a calling. It better be a calling in your life. I know I wouldn’t want to do it, OK?

“And these teachers that are called to teach, regardless of the pay scale, they would teach. It’s just in them to do. It’s the ability that God give ‘em. And there are also some teachers, it wouldn’t matter how much you would pay them, they would still perform to the same capacity.

“If you don’t keep that in balance, you’re going to attract people who are not called, who don’t need to be teaching our children. So, everything has a balance.”

Really!  I mean Really!  This to me is just a slap in the face to anyone with a 5th grade education.  To say that raising politicians salaries to counter act corruption is necessary, but to pay people more to educate children would bring "uncalled" people into the profession.  Obviously he has never been a teacher in a school where it is 80% poverty and free and reduced lunch.  Obviously he has not been in a school where the students are mom and dad at night and students during the day, and they don't handle that transition well. Obviously he has never taught in a situation where students are fearful of where they will eat that night.  You know why.... because I have and these students live and learn rough. If you  are not "called" trust me that $40,000 dollars you are making (with a master's that you had to pay $10,000 dollars to get)  wont be enough to keep them from getting the heck out of dodge.  At the school I am talking about we hired at least 25 new teachers a year for five years, and the faculty was only 40 teachers.  Being in that situation culled the "un-called" real quick.  And we that stayed loved those children, cared for them, educated them, but deserved a heck of a lot more for doing it.  No offense to anyone reading... But I have always said that every teacher needs to start in a rough situation.  I mean anybody can teach in a plush city school.  But this would sustain the real teachers, and get rid of the summers off folks.  But to not pay. Really!!  As mentioned previously to be a good teacher coasts money.  You spend your money on class room supplies, extra degrees, giving dollars here and there for lost lunch money and snack, I have even given my players money for power bills, water bills, helped with college books.  You name it I am sure we have done it.  What about the time away from family, is there a price for that.  McGill later goes on to say:


 Last year, McGill introduced a bill that would tie legislators' pay to the average teacher's pay, including benefits. He later claimed teachers in Alabama rank fourth in the nation in average pay and benefits of about $65,000.

"The AEA [Alabama Education Association] would have a tough time with that because they don't want people knowing that information," McGill told an audience in Fort Payne in November.

So there you have it.  Seems more like he thinks teachers are over paid.  And that state senators are under paid. And I can see why he feels that way since their job is a noble profession, and we are only training tomorrows America.  I am a conservative republican.  I am a Christian.  But super right wing ultra conservative is dangerous.  Hitler was Super Right.  The fact that he uses the Bible and God to give credibility to his claim is offensive at the least.  And then his constituents, So called Christians are praying for him to stand firm in his "convictions" on this.  Please, In my opinion another politician throwing God and the Bible around for personal gain. It gives real Christians with true convictions a bad rap.  The bottom line is this,  the fact that we allow people like this to stay in office only goes to show the ultra right using God to brainwash people into thinking they are whole and pure and their ideas are truly ordained by God.  Not much different than the puritans did with the Salem witch trials.  God gave us brains, to use and not just accept because things are said.  We as educators have to stand up for ourselves and exploit these people for what they really are, Money grubbing politicians who want to raise their claim,by making educators look like they don't deserve more for what they do.  Lets show their "true calling".