During Teachers Appreciation Week, union leaders say teachers are underpaid and under attack
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said that their skills and the time they are committed to working, public school teachers earn 24% more than their current salary in non-teaching jobs in the private sector.
But teachers often stay in the profession “because they are changing the lives of their children,” she said.
According to the Census Bureau, in 2021, about 82% of American students attend public schools. But Weningarten said there are not enough teachers in public schools to provide adequate services to millions of children.
More and more teachers mean smaller class sizes, which provides children with greater opportunities to meet their personal needs. This also ensures students receive a comprehensive education, she said.
“If there is no physics teacher due to the shortage and the kids want to do physics or need physics, that will affect the kids,” she said. “If you don’t have a computer science teacher, that will affect the kids.”
Federal funds on chopping blocks
President Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs in K-12 schools and eliminating the Department of Education. According to census data, the education department provided about 13.6% of funding to public K-12 schools in the fiscal year 2022.
The department is also responsible for safeguarding the rights of students with disabilities.
Trump demanded that the federal budget be cut to the education sector in fiscal 2026, totaling about $12 billion, or about 15% of current funds. The biggest part of these cuts is reducing K-12 funds by more than $4.5 billion.
The White House said the budget proposal “provides streamlined, flexible funding directly to states” and would reduce the federal government’s costs of managing funds and enforcing compliance.
“When you see the federal government, this administration threatens to withdraw these funds, not threatening them at all to threaten us as educators, who are teaching the truth about our nation’s history and the impact it has today – that’s a lot.”
The teacher already feels very thin
Pringle estimates teachers spend about $450 a year on students, while Weingarten says that number is as high as $1,000.
Pringle, who taught eighth grade science for 31 years, said she remembers traveling to the grocery store to buy vinegar and baking soda for students’ science projects. She added that the postal code also affects school district funding, so teachers in low-income areas end up providing more financial services to their students.
“When they don’t have enough time and family budgets, they take money out of their pockets, that’s not OK,” she said. “This country needs to fulfill its promise to children and provide the resources we teachers need to do the job they love.”
Pringle encourages students and their families to return support to teachers by writing letters and emailing their representatives and senators, posting on social media and personalizing gifts they give during teacher appreciation week.
She said: “Put a handwritten note in that cup and said, ‘You know what? We see you, we care about you.’
Weingarten added: “You see over and over again people in the community know the importance of teachers and the importance of public schools. That’s why teachers are one of the most trusted professions in the country. But it’s not just one year, they need to get 365 days of support each year.”
