The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.
When lawmakers wish to deflect attention away from the issue at hand, they often cry “what about the children?” After years of education cuts and the subsequent devaluing of our public education system, we know they aren’t fighting for our nation’s youth.
Our educators – those who have spent countless hours teaching children, often providing them with supplies, even ensuring they are fed – are raising their voices above the din of partisan politics. In states with education shortfalls and stagnant wages, teachers are fed up with being treated like glorified babysitters with the salary to match.
Despite attempts to detract from this monumental movement in public education history, our educators continue to rally across the country in hopes of bettering their future and those of their students. Support from the public will make or break their crusade.
In Kentucky, teachers have set their sights on Gov. Matt Bevin, a lawmaker who has repeatedly suffered from foot-in-mouth syndrome and put pension benefits for teachers and other public employees on the line.
The pension deficit is a problem inherited by Bevin, an issue which only increased in severity over the past few decades amid increased state spending which outstripped revenue growth. He hasn’t helped his case, though, having referred to those protesting the new pension plan as “remarkably selfish and shortsighted.” Bevin went on to accuse teachers of “throwing a temper tantrum,” and most recently, being the cause of supposed sexual assaults against children, a claim he has been flamed viciously for – and rightfully so.
According to reports from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the pension system in Kentucky is one of the most underfunded in the nation. Suggestions from across political party lines have been to seek out new revenue growth in markets such as hemp, marijuana and expanded gambling instead of cutting benefits and the state workforce. Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes has been an outspoken proponent for the potential to expand state revenue through such means.
State funding for primary and secondary education institutions across Kentucky has decreased exponentially over the past several years. The predicament we are in isn’t solely because of our current lawmakers, but they have a duty to explore all options available before further cutting the paychecks of the 98 percent. And if they won’t, we need to vote in those who will.
Teachers in Oklahoma are facing similar hurdles as their classrooms fall into disrepair and outdated textbooks are leaving students behind.
Oklahoma art teacher Laurissa Kovacs was one of many to share pictures of students’ desks which were warped, cracked and generally unusable. Others posted photos to Facebook of history textbooks which were first printed when former President George W. Bush was still in office. The education system continues to bleed dry as Oklahoma lawmakers funnel new funds into the prison system.
Public education is an important tenet of U.S. democracy. When the populace is well educated, the spread of false information is hampered, the economy benefits and we have well-informed voters as a result. Increased education costs and decreased funding has sapped much of the life out of our school systems. Teachers work tirelessly to provide, while the state government takes more than its fair share with no intention to honor the “IOU.”
While not everyone may agree with how our educators are making the news headlines, why they are carrying on is admirable. In an “education first” society with an “education last” budget, we need our teachers more than ever. And if you had begun to worry there were no good role models left, look no further than the classroom.