Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

A Teacher’s ‘Impossible Choice’

July 11, 2008 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

I thought Lesley Guilmart’s Commentary “ ‘An Impossible Choice’ ” (June 4, 2008) would make excellent fodder for an advice columnist. For this one time only, I would like to take up that role.

Ms. Guilmart, you have a problem: You want to have children and provide them with all the nice things you think they deserve, but you also would like to continue teaching at a charter school, and you are unsure of whether you can afford to raise a family on a teacher’s salary.

First off, it is unfortunate that you work at a charter school. I say this because charter schools are notorious for the cheap wages they pay. One way around this would be to organize a union at your school and then begin to bargain collectively.

We have a union here in New York City, the United Federation of Teachers. A public school teacher here with five years of experience, like yourself, earns $50,153 a year; if that same teacher has a master’s degree, the pay is $56,048.

Is that a lot of money? It’s OK, and occasionally I hear teachers grumble, but I don’t know of any who are working a second job outside of education to make ends meet. That’s important. It gives teachers more time for lesson planning, updating their content-area knowledge, or, in your case, spending time with family.

If starting a union is out of the question, then you should consider moving back to the Northeast, where the labor laws are stronger. You could even apply to work at my school. We have a supportive administration, many hardworking teachers, and some great students. Many of those students have backgrounds similar to those of the students you currently are working with, and would benefit immensely from your diligent effort.

My question to you, Ms. Guilmart, is this: If you want a career in teaching, why are you wasting your time working at a charter school?

Walter Weis

Forest Hills, N.Y.

To the Editor:

Gifted teachers like Lesley Guilmart—and her students, if she opts out of teaching—are the latest victims of the current system. Her “impossible choice” is not the result of inadequate public support for K-12 education. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, taxpayers nationwide are very generous, providing nearly $10,000 per student, with current spending for Texas students at $7,561 each. So, if Ms. Guilmart has 22 students in her Houston classroom, more than $166,000 supports them. I suspect she would gladly stay in teaching for less than half of that.

Part of her predicament as a charter school teacher results from the system’s policy of discrimination against students in these schools. In nearly all the states with charter laws, such schools receive less money per child than traditional public schools.

John D. Merrifield

Professor of Economics

University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas

A version of this article appeared in the July 16, 2008 edition of Education Week as A Teacher’s ‘Impossible Choice’

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Mathematics Webinar
Engaging Every Learner: Strategies to Boost Math Motivation
Math Motivation Boost! Research & real tips to engage learners.
Content provided by Prodigy Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
The Ripple Effect: Mental Health & Student Outcomes
Learn how student mental health impacts outcomes—and how to use that data to support your school’s IEP funding strategy.
Content provided by Huddle Up
Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz How Is Trump Changing School Discipline Rules? Take This Week’s Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Briefly Stated: April 30, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz What Is Trump’s New AI Plan for K-12 Schools? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Illustration of tasks assisted with AI.
Canva
Education Quiz ICYMI: Moms for Liberty Launched Its Own University And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Moms for Liberty annual convention in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Moms for Liberty annual convention in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP