2023 - Full Presentation Schedule
It Ain’t All About the Money, Honey: Amplifying the Voices of Teachers Who Demand Change
Abstract
Frustrated by a system that fails to value teachers’ experiences and expertise, more than 10,000 educators and advocates gathered on the grounds of the State Capital to address the widespread conundrum led by SC for Ed, an organization seeking to improve the education system in South Carolina.
The 2019 demonstration focused on three action items: teacher salary and benefits, student discipline, and school funding. Immediately, districts began to announce percentage increases in teacher salaries across the state, but this “solution” was vaguely responsive to only a portion of the call. Currently exacerbated by COVID-19, virtual learning, school shootings, mental exhaustion, and little input in decision-making, teacher satisfaction regarding the school site and the teaching profession continue to deteriorate as evident in the South Carolina Annual Educator Supply & Demand Report (CERRA, 2021).
Consequently, teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, signaling implications for equitable practices as teachers advocate for their well-being and the betterment of learning environments for their students, distributed leadership, and a commitment to actionable change. This paper seeks to advocate for teacher professional concerns and foster inclusive decision making and consideration of teacher experiences.
It Ain’t All About the Money, Honey: Amplifying the Voices of Teachers Who Demand Change
CASB 102 - Education and Learning
Frustrated by a system that fails to value teachers’ experiences and expertise, more than 10,000 educators and advocates gathered on the grounds of the State Capital to address the widespread conundrum led by SC for Ed, an organization seeking to improve the education system in South Carolina.
The 2019 demonstration focused on three action items: teacher salary and benefits, student discipline, and school funding. Immediately, districts began to announce percentage increases in teacher salaries across the state, but this “solution” was vaguely responsive to only a portion of the call. Currently exacerbated by COVID-19, virtual learning, school shootings, mental exhaustion, and little input in decision-making, teacher satisfaction regarding the school site and the teaching profession continue to deteriorate as evident in the South Carolina Annual Educator Supply & Demand Report (CERRA, 2021).
Consequently, teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, signaling implications for equitable practices as teachers advocate for their well-being and the betterment of learning environments for their students, distributed leadership, and a commitment to actionable change. This paper seeks to advocate for teacher professional concerns and foster inclusive decision making and consideration of teacher experiences.