Biden says teachers deserve 'a raise, not just praise'

ABC News / Disney ^ | July 2, 2021 | By COLLIN BINKLEY, AP Education Writer

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Speaking to the nation’s largest teachers union, President Joe Biden said Friday that the pandemic has given America’s parents the “ultimate education” on the challenges of the teaching profession. But even more, he said, the last year has proved that teachers across the U.S. deserve higher pay.

“You deserve a raise, not just praise,” Biden said in remarks at the National Education Association’s annual meeting in Washington. “Every parent in this country who spent the last year educating their children at home understands that you deserve a raise.”

Biden made the case while selling his proposed legislative priorities and budget for next year, which includes $20 billion in new funding that aims to spur states to increase teacher pay. A close ally of teachers unions, the president went on to describe educators as “the single most important component of America’s future.”

Biden and first lady Jill Biden gave remarks at a mostly empty Washington Convention Center while union members watched virtually. Biden is the first president in recent history to address the labor group, whose 3 million members include his wife, a longtime community college professor.

[proud American in Canada]

EXACTLY! Let them continue to bake in the Florida sun.

I hope that every parent who can will either continue homeschooling or pay for private school.

DEFUND the Teacher’s Union!

[proud American in Canada]

LOL!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were talking about some idea. Can’t remember what.

I said, If this were plausible, Elon Musk would be all over it.

My husband laughed and agreed.

[Magnatron]

I would say an average $60K/year (half are much higher) is fair compensation for a job that one works nine months of the year with a voluminous amount of paid holidays and “teacher in-service” shenanigan time off.

[sarge83]

I have a friend who is a flaming liberal and she teaches in a small rural county. She is one of the few leftist I can debate and we can still hug each others necks and agree to disagree, truly rare. I give her credit she tries to do it right down the middle, however she will openly acknowledge there are others who are very liberal politically and don’t hesitate to bring it into their classrooms even in a rural Tennessee county.