DAYTON — Dozens of districts across out area are opening their doors to students this week for the new school year and now the largest teacher union in the state is claiming that the teachers in Ohio schools are underpaid.
Education leaders are worried that if pay is perceived as low, or is actually low, it could impact the number of people interested in doing the job.
Amber Sturgill, an education major at Wright State University, said she’s seeing how big the challenge of being a teacher is.
>> ‘We are all looking forward to the new school year;’ 24 new teachers at Troy City Schools
“I do think they’re underpaid for everything they are asked to do, expected to do, especially these days,” Sturgill said.
Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, said he’s aware of a lot of people who are considering retiring early or leaving the profession.
The union is pointing to a new study from the Economic Policy Institute that shows teachers make more than 14 percent less than other professionals with the same education and experience. The study shows that in the last 25 years, teacher pay is up only $29 a week. Other professionals’ weekly pay is up $445 a week in the same time frame.
“But they still have to pay their bills and put food on the table,” DiMauro said.
In the last few years, DiMauro said teachers have battled COVID-19 and masks in the classroom, as well as political attacks and substitute shortages.
>> ‘Chaotic situation;’ DPS students transported to wrong schools on first day
DiMauro said he believes the median pay he sees for Dayton area teachers should be much higher.
Critics have pointed to teachers making that money and still having 10 to 12 weeks off for summer break, but the Ohio Education Association said most teachers work 50 or 60 hours a week.
Some taxpayers that have to provide districts the cash to cover any teacher pay increases, are reluctant when facing inflation themselves.
“I get that, I understand, but we need out teachers,” Jason Neff, of Huber Heights, said. “They are our future.”
School leaders from Dayton, Trotwood , Centerville & Kettering all told us they managed to hire enough teachers this year to fill all their vacancies, but the Ohio Education Association said there are fewer qualified people applying for each opening.