Education

I can't believe it's been so many months since I've posted. I started a new job with a  local newspaper, and I have had very little time! Sorry guys! I think jumping right back in without a lot of sorries or explanations are probably best.

I figured that, despite all of the compelling news issues going on in the world lately, I would pick one that was considerably close to home. As some of you know, many of my friends are teachers. This morning, NC Gov. Pat McCrory announced that he plans to increase teacher salaries by $6,000 in the next few years.

For those of you who aren't an educator, or aren't close friends with an educator, you may not understand how much work actually goes into being a teacher. Even parents, especially some parents, have no idea how many extra hours are given to making your child's schooling experience as amazing as possible. For instance, take Brian. Every day, he wakes up at 5:30 a.m. He gets up, takes a shower, and arrives at school around 6:30. Even though classes don't start for close to an hour, he arrives early to make sure grades are kept up, lessons are planned, and any emails are followed up with. He teaches from 7:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. After school, from August to October, Brian coaches football as an Offensive Line coach. Practice itself lasts until around 5:30 p.m. every day. By the time the coaches review the day's practice and wait for all of the kids to be picked up, Brian is at school until after 7 p.m.

What about after October? Well, then comes wrestling. This year, Brian coached both middle and high school wrestling. Practice lasted from 3 until 5 every day. Some kids didn't get picked up until 6 pm. By the time he cleans up, answers emails about coaching, and locks the doors, it's close to 6:30 before he gets home every night. And that's only on practice days. If there is a game or a match, he could be gone until close to 9 or 10 p.m.

Our teachers are the ones who mold the minds of our future generations. They spend half of their entire days making sure that all of the needs of their students are met, usually exceeding expectations.

With that being said, I strongly encourage you to contact Gov. McCrory and encourage him to make sure he sticks to the promise to increase teacher salaries.

Click here to contact Gov. McCrory