Letter to the Editor: Teacher Considers Leaving PUSD, Cites Low Pay and Disrespect by Administration

For the first time in 15 years, I am considering leaving PUSD. I love my school and my students, but I have never felt so disrespected by administration. Teachers in PUSD are already some of the lowest paid in the county (43 out of 47). So, to be told that the district has not set aside any money for salary increases—in a year in which it is receiving an unprecedented amount of funding and in which it has a $10 million surplus in the budget that is not allotted to any particular budget area or item—is a slap in the face. I am not a greedy teacher. I am a person whose bills are increasing while my paycheck has actually decreased. I am a person who is working harder due to the shift in state standards, a shift that came without proper support, training, and materials; I spend more time searching for appropriate learning materials that align with the new standards. As a teacher, I am not paid for this additional work. The only way to fairly compensate me and those like me is for PUSD to provide a fair salary increase. One great way to recruit—and, in my case, retain—qualified teachers is to pay a competitive salary, which PUSD currently does not. Six percent (6%)—when Glendale is providing eleven percent (11%)—is only enough to keep us treading water in the same spot in the county rankings. The vacancy list for PUSD has been a long one this year and will only continue to grow as the salary gap between PUSD and other districts widens. I love my school and my students, but I have to also be practical and consider how I can continue to work for administration that doesn’t respect those working with students in the classroom.

Karen Kobey
Teacher, Wilson Middle School