Teaching Conditions: Funding for Educators
As the #ClearTheList and #AdoptATeacher trends continue, educators are speaking out against the financial challenges they face and feeling conflicted about crowdfunding.
- “Just received a very upsetting message. Evidently the state of NC is upset about our #clearthelist initiative and some districts have banned their teachers from using Amazon! They can only receive a 50.00 voucher IF they have joined PTA! This is absurd!” —Educator in Missouri
- “Sadly this is the story in so many districts. Luckily, mine encourages #clearthelist, likely because we don’t have a classroom budget provided to us. Everything in the classroom besides desks and chairs is teacher funded. #clearthelist is a true champion for us!” —Teacher in Oklahoma
- “When I see #AdoptATeacher trending and all I can think is why are we asking teachers (or generous strangers) to FUND their classrooms? Are doctors funding surgical rooms?” —Teacher in Maine
- “You know what could help teachers besides having a larger school budget. Giving teachers more things to write off for taxes. What is it now like $500? It should closer to $2000, right? Maybe more🤔 Thinking out loud.” —Middle School Teacher in Washington
- “In CO, our stipends were cut ‘due to deficits stemming from the pandemic’. Then we had a budget surplus, taxpayers are getting checks, lifeguards are getting state-sponsored raises, and NBCTs STILL have no progress on the reinstatement of our stipends. “ —High School Foreign Language Teacher in Colorado
- “Caught between wanting to share my list and angry that sharing a list in hopes that people on the internet will help fund it is considered normal…” —Middle School Teacher in Louisiana
- “Economists do not have good models for why school resources do or do not (as is often found) affect the returns of schooling. To the calls for ‘funding!’, it’s so clearly an ineffective policy that it’s an established economic puzzle. Yet more money won’t improve schools.” —Middle School English Teacher in Wisconsin