April 26, 2018, Prescott-
I walked, and stood alongside, my co-workers this morning. We are among many, in several states, who are making a statement in favour of actually showing the nation’s public schools that they are important to our nation’s security. This includes granting teachers and other school workers a living wage. By living wage, I mean that a family of four can pay its rent/mortgage/ property tax, insurance, utilities and basic living expenses, which include savings and modest leisure pursuits, without the need for one or both parents to hold down two (or more) jobs. Most people in this community get that. There are a few who think otherwise, and I note that they have theirs.
Let’s be clear: I believe in EARNING one’s way. I do not believe in indentured servitude or de facto slavery. A job well done should be a job well remunerated. A few conservative thinkers, believers in the free market system, have shown how this can be done- without shorting the colleges and universities, or the public health system. (Both are cited by some legislators, as reasons why the schools should make do with less.)
I do not buy the argument that “only Communists” want teachers to get higher pay. (Yes, this has been advanced by some legislators here, because ONE teacher admires Noam Chomsky.) For the record, I have co-workers who love President Trump and who are adamant about raising revenue to improve the schools. Also, I am a political independent, who loathes dictatorships of any kind.
There are other chains I want to break. More is coming, as is Part II of the Antonio Ribeiro story.
A Sagittarian Seeker 
I have never understood the reluctance of employers or legislators to pay a living wage. It is well understood that if a worker does not have to work a second job, they will do better work on the first one…
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I made a promise to my first students, in 1976, that I would focus on one job and only one. As long as I was teaching full-time, that’s how it remained. I have had times, like now, when I could barely make ends meet, but that’s okay. The welfare of my students is paramount.
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God will break every chain in Jesus Name! God bless and keep you always my friend!
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Thank you, once again, blessed Tammy!
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(… by the way…. teachers are underpaid everywhere… )
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I am sure of it!
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I am, now more than ever, grateful to live in my country… America seems so complicated and stressful right now.. although all this upset seems that people are doing things?
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Social action is always messy, luv. America has ever been a roiling cauldron, and it could be that other countries, such as India, Nigeria and Brazil,will follow suit,at least for a time. Your country (I only know it’s “Down Under”-Australia or New Zealand) is a model of stability. I will visit both countries in 2022, or sooner, if my current circumstances change.
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Australia… I wouldn’t say they are a “model of stability” we still have a lot of problems… but I just worry about you all over there right now… come visit any time, we’d love to have you! 😁
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I have been to Sydney once, in 1971. I met a couple of women, both named Susan, who taught me some serious “wake-up call” life lessons. No, I wasn’t rough or mean to either of them, but I was 20 and still rather clueless, socially.
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Sydney is where I am… well in the blue mountains.
Lol aren’t we all at 20?!
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The Blue Mountains sounds fab!
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You should google it… it is very beautiful here
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Will do, sweetheart!
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🖤
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Black heart-interesting.
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I like the black one… I like black in general.
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Okay. Just checking. Mine would be blue-for loyalty and trueness.
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Well 💙🖤
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💙🖤
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