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Keith Poston: Invest in our teachers

Keith Poston wrote for Fayetteville Observer about the importance of investing in our teachers.

April 24, 2016 by Forum Admin

Keith Poston wrote for Fayetteville Observer about the importance of investing in our teachers:

There’s a scene in “Bull Durham” that features the Bulls manager throwing bats into the locker room shower and berating the team for the mortal sin of “lollygagging.” He wonders aloud, after being reminded of his team’s 8-16 record, “How did we ever win eight?”

 

This scene popped into my mind last week when I read the latest stats from our UNC System’s Schools of Education. That’s where the largest percentage of North Carolina’s public school teachers are prepared to teach our children. Enrollment is down 30 percent since 2010. Like the Bulls skipper, I wondered to myself, “How did we even do that well?”

 

Teacher salary has been on the rise in N.C. the past two years for the first time in years. That is without question a positive step. But N.C. average teacher salary still ranks 42nd nationally. In 2001 we ranked 21st. North Carolina ranks dead last nationally in teacher salary growth over the past decade. Today all states bordering North Carolina have higher average teacher salaries.

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