Friday, September 5, 2008

A Woman's Worth

--by Mike Adams

My wife, a full time employee of our local school district, earns nearly 13,000 dollars a year. Our child care cost is $5400 a year for our three year old son, whom my sister takes care of for a lesser cost than other day care arrangements. This means my wife brings home $7600 a year after covering a basic and necessary expenses.

I have to be honest; this makes me feel rather angry. I can’t understand why an instructional assistant is only worth $13,000 a year. In a country where we profess to highly value our next generation; in this country with its federal mandate named, ‘No Child Left Behind,’ it seems that somehow, we could provide enough pay for child care professionals, for teachers and teachers’ assistants that they, the people who we entrust with our children’s futures aren’t left behind. I wholeheartedly disagree with any characterization of the teacher’s union as a “special interest group” at least in terms similar to the tobacco lobby being a special interest group. Shouldn’t all Americans take a particular interest in the quality our children’s educations and the livelihood of those who care for our next generation. Our children are our future, they will care for of us when we get older, they will run the government when we retire and on a personal level, they are our hopes and our dreams, they are our greatest investments. So I ask, why not loosen the purse strings and pay a reasonable wage to those with whom we entrust our kids?

I have heard some conservatives respond that, really, we want teachers who love teaching so much that they would teach even if they weren’t getting paid at all. That argument sounds good on the surface…I mean, really, I want my kids to be taught by someone who is passionate about and loves teaching, but seriously, no one should need to love teaching so much that they are willing to live in poverty or near poverty and neglect their own children’s financial needs in order to work in the school system.

Think about it, what if we decided that we really only want CEO’s who love that line of work so much that they would do it for free. What about lawyers or cosmetic surgeons or accountants, shouldn’t we find people who will do those tasks for free too?

Seriously though, let’s look at qualifications and pay; a teacher must earn a four year degree and then a teaching credential. Additionally, they have annual education requirements, which they are expected to pay from their own income. By necessity, teachers are well educated with five or six years in college before they qualify to lead a classroom. Why is their work so un-valued in our society that after completing all of that higher education, a teacher starts out earning only $32,000 per year?

I can’t understand why, an entry level computer technician, with no college degree, is able to earn more money than a teacher with five or six years of college. I worry that our values are mixed up, that our vision is blurry and that we have lost sight of some key American values.

In the 2008 Presidential race, there was much talk about sexism. It was used in the Democratic primaries and again in the general election. I’m not sure whether sexism played a greater role than did racism in the 2008 election year, however, I can promise you that every day across this country sexism plays a role in the lives of everyday Americans.

Consider the fact that in general, a single mother is considered to be a tragedy, or in Rush Limbaugh’s world, a slacker. However, a single father is something of a hero. We have a double standard for what kind of role women are expected to take with their children versus what is expected of men.

Women are expected to be nurturing, loving and in general caring providers for their children; they cook, clean and take care of the soccer schedule. They are expected to put their careers on hold and stay home for the important work of parenting. By contrast, men go to work and are expected to earn enough money to support the family. Men are expected to work late, attend meetings or even get a second job if necessary. If a child has to stay home sick, a mother is almost always the one to take sick leave or miss a work day. In my family, when we run out of sick days, it is usually my wife who stays home because her work for the schools pays so much less than my work.

Often, I wonder if this isn’t because of the nature of my wife’s work. Because she takes care of children for a living and I take care of more pressing issues, like some one’s Microsoft Word Program won’t start or they really want flash installed on their computer. I believe that our society has relegated work, which is historically considered “women’s work” to a lower pay scale. Jobs like Daycare Provider, school teachers, Teacher’s Aids, house cleaners. None of them pays particularly well, all of them are considered by and large to be women’s jobs.

It seems that in our society, we pretend to value our children above all else, but in reality, we won’t pay a good wage to those people who we entrust with our children’s safety and future, as a country, we spend more money building prisons than we do building schools. Somewhere deep inside our collective unconscious, we still seem to believe that those tasks are a woman’s tasks…a stay at home mother’s tasks…unpaid and economically un-valuable tasks. The question is when will we realize that in fact, providing care and education for the next generation is invaluable work worthy of good pay and worthy of our deepest respect.

23 comments:

  1. I originally posted this in September of 2008. Today, my wife has been promoted. She is the reading coach for a local elementary school, which means she takes small groups of kids, who are behind in reading and teaches them to help them catch up. Guess what...she still only earns 13k/year. If it's true that there is no child left behind (I don't think it's true), it's certainly not true that there is no education professional left behind!

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  2. I completely understand.... I am a teacher. And it's unfortunate how devalued public education seems to be......

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    1. Agreed...not that I want to give up any of my salary, but I do think that teachers should be compensated better than I am. Instructional assistants...13k / year is an insult for that, particularly, when they are tutoring our kids, managing their safety on the playground, etc...

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  3. I want to say from the onset-- $13,000 a year seems ridiculously low for either a teacher's helper or a reading specialist!! Even based on a teacher's work year of 1350 hours!! (Guessing as that is the average teacher work year here--if you have more or less of course that changes). Wow. In your situation, yes, I would say that something needs to change and I agree.

    That said, I need to look up what teaching assistance get in our district. I'd like to compare but it will take me sometime to dig it up.

    As for our teachers, I know the teachers are paid rather well here in my opinion. We are talking an average of $67,494 for a 1350 hour work year. Now if employed 40 hours a week /52 weeks a year it would work out to $103,991 a year. (Numbers for the 2008/2009 school year). (I want to mention my Aunt was a teacher in Florida for 26 years and capped out at 47,800 for a 1350 work year. So comparatively, I know we are quite a bit higher.)

    The thing is, I am employed full time, I have a bachelor's degree and my husband is employed full time and has a bachelor's degree--and combined we do not come close to making $67,494 for 1350 hours!! We would feel honored and delighted if we did!!

    It is not that I don't appreciate the hard work and dedication that our teachers give to our children. Ask any of my children's teachers and they will tell you that I'm going to support them in anyway I can possibly "reasonably" support them. But when the school district comes asking us to help increase the teachers' salaries through a school levy (because they need to keep up with inflation), and at the same time both our jobs are forcing us into salary cuts to "save our jobs", I have a problem voting for that tax levy as it will make it even more financially difficult to shoulder with our pay cuts. With our pay cuts money is tight.

    The levy passed here by 80 votes last November after two failed attempts and this past March my tax bill jumped $90.00 a month. I was mortified!! Talk about a budget crises!!

    I agree things need to change!!

    Cheers, Jenn
    http://www.wine-n-chat.com

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    1. Hi Jenn,
      thanks for reading and for taking the time to give such a thoughtful response. I know that there are teachers in my area, who make close to $60,000 / year. However my understanding is that to reach that income bracket, they either have a Masters degree or they have completed "National Board Certification" - http://www.nbpts.org/

      None of the teachers I know work only their contracted hours either. Most of them spend many hours outside of their contracted hours, grading, reviewing curriculum, differentiating curriculum for their students who may need help or who may need more challenge. In many cases, they also pool their resources to help their students have lunch or clothes that fit. It is possible that I simply live in an extraordinary school district, but I think that most teachers really care and do a lot for their students.

      We've also had a pay freeze on our teachers for several years now.

      In terms of your income and that of your husband, I do think that we are moving in the wrong direction as a society. The middle class is being squeezed, while CEOs make outrageous salaries, earning more than they can possibly spend, which, incidentally, takes money out of circulation in the economy and hurts everyone.

      I'm still angered by the fact that tax subsidies paid hundreds of outrageous salaries for private bankers, meanwhile, teachers, most other public employees and middle class executives are expected to tighten their belts and make sacrifices. Something is rotten in Denmark!

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  4. I agree with you wholeheartedly! The screwed up balance of salaries is proof of our, as a society, screwed up priorities. Actors and pop singers and athletes our the heroes. Company big-wigs rack up the big bucks. The people who educate and nurture our youngest are often amongst the "working poor." Pathetic.

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    1. I spent five years as a care-giver for developmentally disabled adults in a group home. I took care of and bathes two grown men who were quadriplegics, I administered medication, provided first response when our residents had seizures (this happened a few times) worked I was on site (and on call) from Friday night through Monday morning. I had scheduled sleep time from 9:30 - 6:00 am and was scheduled to work the rest of that time. It was one of the most rewarding jobs I've ever held, but I earned a grand total of 21k / year the whole time I worked there. I never received a raise. I could have gone to school and earned a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) in order to get a raise to approximately 23k / year. The cost of education could not be justified by the paltry increase of income.

      My sister worked as an instructional assistant for a developmentally disabled class recently and she also earned roughly 13k / year. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology. She was stabbed with a pencil in the left eye and received a concussion during gym class. It really bothers me how little this position pays and how little respect these workers receive.

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  5. that's a horrendous situation to be in. And if we can get rid of No Child Left Behind in the first place, maybe some room will open up for some change.

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    1. Thanks Sandra, No Child does seem to have caused a lot of difficulty, but no real progress. I applaud the idea, however in the end, I believe that politicians should stay out of designing school curriculum. They simply aren't qualified. That task should be left to experts in child development and education. Also, in our school district, for what teachers earn, they are expected to continue earning educational credits each year, out of their own salary and on their own time. I do believe my work is worth more than I get paid, but I have a real problem that a teacher with all of that education starts and roughly half of my salary.

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  6. I can't comment on your situation/pay scales in America, but here in the UK it's the ridiculously high wages paid to football (i.e. soccer) players these days that angers a lot of people. There is something wrong with a society that seems to value its sport 'heroes' far more than it values its teachers and nurses.

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    1. Agreed...our sports stars are paid quite well too! I might argue that they work harder and offer greater benefit to society than many of our comparably paid hedge fund managers or people who make money by moving money, rather than producing something (like a commodity) of value.

      For those, who wish to argue, I propose that packaging risk into investment packages and reselling as a portfolio is not a even similar to producing a commodity of value, it is the genesis of our financial downfall, a few years back.

      Perhaps we need a new cabinet position, "Economy Czar" and my nod goes to Warren Buffett!

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  7. When last I checked, the average child care worker with a BS degree earned less than a dog groomer.

    It is truly obscene what we (don't) pay those who care for and teach our children, most of whom happen to be women.

    I have heard that those in the field refer that that bill as "No Test Left Behind" or "No Dollars Left behind" as it forces schools to regularly test, without providing the money to do so.

    It is wonderful that many women (and men) choose to enter fields to teach and care for children out of love, but they should not be forced to take a vow of poverty to do so.

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    1. Agreed oh Writing Goddess! :-)
      I'm working my way backwards it appears in responding to comments, but have you seen or read Marilyn Waring? My wife turned me on to her. Along with Jared Diamond, Marilyn Waring is my academic hero: http://www.nfb.ca/film/whos_counting/ our investment in who we pay and how much really says a lot about what we actually value in society...and I'll tell you, from my perspective, it isn't children and it isn't people who teach and care for our children. Maybe I'm wrong...it's happened before and will happen again!

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  8. seriously tho.......if we "don't count the cost" (trust me talking to myself too) and just SEED in the truth..with loving patience, joy and hope...guess what...we are preserved!!!!!!!!!! and actually MIRACULOUS! i know...its not the monetary...trust me..that is neutral...the miraculous 100 fold comes from the FAITH deposits of caring TRUTH..watch her return. You are fortunate to have her

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    1. Thanks for adding your thoughts to this discussion Brenda. It is a good topic and one that doesn't receive enough thoughtful and civil discussion in our society. Thank you!

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  9. When there is no money, there is no money. It's sad and I wish it was different. But it isn't. I wish it were possible for teacher's, assistants and the cooks to make a living doing their job. Maybe one day, but not today.

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    1. Hi Jo, thanks for coming by and adding to the discussion. I tend to agree with the sentiment of what you are saying, but the economic realities seem a little different to me. I don't think that there actually isn't any money right now.

      I think there is too much money concentrated in too few hands and it is therefore not circulating through the economy. In 2010, the 5th highest paid hedge fund manager in the US, Steve Cohen, was paid 1.4 billion dollars. If he was going to put even half of that back into the economy, he would have to spend 1.9 million dollars every single day of the year.

      The best paid hedge fund manager, David Tepper, was compensated 4 billion dollars, if he was going to spend even half of that money to help the economy, he'd have to spend 5.5 million dollars every single day of the year.

      There are hundreds of people receiving outrageous compensation packages like this. The problem is that all of that money is being taken out of our economy.

      For our economy to work, that money has to circulate and these people are taking billions out every year and hurting everyone...including public employees: fire fighters, police, teachers, utility workers, retired citizens, etc.

      What really irks me though is that they then have enough money to purchase an unfair amount of influence in our government than you or I have. Essentially, they are taking money out of economy and hurting our country and then they use that to purchase more access to government.

      In terms of the fact that it isn't possible for instructional aids and care givers, etc... to make a living, to me, that is a sad reflection of our values as a society. It seems that our children aren't actually worth very much to us as a society if we can't even pay the people who care for them enough to live.

      It just troubles me. I think we are ruining this country by failing to invest in the things that we need to invest in.
      We are killing the next generation's ability to compete with China and India. It really troubles me.

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  10. Wow, another blog I am passionate about. Teachers are so underpaid for their level of responsibility and education. I am in total agreement with you.

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    1. Thanks Beach Lover. This is a conversation I think is important...not only in terms of what we pay teachers but generally in terms of what we have decided is valuable. I have seen a documentary called, "Who's Counting" by Marily Waring. It is troubling to me to find out what is valued by our global economy and what is not valued. Many things become clear though in terms of why we have so much dysfunction. Thanks for commenting and reading!

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  11. Just read this (thanks to Tara's week-wrapping link) and couldn't agree more.

    I don't see the problem so much as gender inequity as I do see it as society having its head so far up its butt that it can't see what right under its nose (woof, there's some interesting imagery)... that if we continue to handsomely reward the likes of Kim Kardashian for their inane mundane ramblings, at the expense of the people who really TEACH our kids, we will be very sorry, very soon.

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    1. That is definitely some interesting imagery! LOL
      Excellent point about the Kardashians! I hadn't thought about that before! Thanks Megan!

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  12. I was all set for a career in public education, until I did some research into the costs of my own education and the pay on the other end. Well, that, and the "crazy" parents who don't like anything the public education system does. And then I realized kids kind of freak me out, but anyway.

    So, yes, children are our future. $13k/year? Ridiculous. I'd like to add an argument here about how our priorities are screwed up (not that I necessarily need to jump on the bandwagon). My little brother served in the United States Air Force. We're in at least 2 official wars, yes? National security is our number one priority? At least that's the reason they give me for not allowing a SEALED water bottle or 5 oz. tube of toothpaste on the plane in my carry-on luggage. My little brother was paid $23k/year, worked 60+ hour weeks, and was 22 years old. Wha?

    I do not believe in war and I'm not sure we need a military as big as we have it. However, I do believe that those who teach our children and those who protect us deserve to be paid more than those who entertain or annoy us. Kardasha-who? Le-what? Seriously, this is a bass-ackwards way of paying our people.

    And for the gender divide, Hubs and I work in different industries. I have a BA and an MA. He has a BS. He makes exactly twice what I do, and is expected to work 70-80 hour weeks, while I am not supposed to work more than 45 because my company and manager are big on work-life balance. I call bullsh-t on the salary difference, but am thankful I'm not expected to work those hours. I keep waiting for Hubs to tell his company to stick it. We'll see.

    Thanks to Tara for sharing this, and to you for writing it to begin with. What an interesting and enriching conversation to have.

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    1. Thanks for taking the time to stop in and comment!

      I totally agree with you about the pitiful excuse for pay we provide our military and other people who protect us.

      When I was hired to work as an IT Tech for our local Government, I had also applied to be a fire fighter and a police officer for the county and the state.

      It turns out the IT job came through first, which is good, because the county and state Police starting pay is approximately $15/hour or 30k/year. While firefighters start at a little higher, 33k/year.

      I've often thought we expect a lot from our troops and law enforcement, particularly when you consider what we subject them to vs. what we pay them. They are often subjected to the worst that humanity has to offer on a daily basis, but then we expect this incredibly high level of professionalism and courtesy from them. It is unreal!

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