The Brian Mudd Show

The Brian Mudd Show

There are two sides to stories and one side to facts. That's Brian's mantra and what drives him to get beyond the headlines.Full Bio

 

Q&A – Florida Public Sector Unions And Teacher Pay

Today’s entry: There should be no blanket solutions with things like teacher pay. The union should be dissolved. Teachers managed locally. Pay based on your teaching skills and results. Bad results? Low pay or fired. All the talk about raising teacher pay as a whole is ridiculous. AND people with no kids like me, or seniors, should not be paying any school taxes AT ALL. If you even believe in property taxes to start, which I don't. And what about my rental properties? I pay crazy taxes on those. No kids.

Bottom Line: The debate about Florida teacher pay isn’t new. It's been a regular topic of conversation especially since Governor DeSantis proposed a new starting teacher pay plan last fall. However, that's about to reach a fever pitch with the state session set to begin next week. Governor DeSantis proposed raising starting teaching pay from an average of $37,636 to $47,500. A huge 26% raise for teachers that would come with a year one cost to Floridians of $603 million. That’s without discussing any additional increases for existing teachers who earn more than $47,500. It’s worth noting the average public-school teacher in Florida currently earns $54,745 per year. Remarkably the Florida Education Association said it was only a “starting point” for negotiations. 

Ten years ago, the average Florida teacher pay was $46,921. Salaries have risen $7,824, or 17% since then. Over that same time, the average Floridian has experienced a 13% increase in income. In other words, teacher salaries have risen 4% faster than the average Florida taxpayer who accounts for their salaries. It’s safe to say Floridians aren’t set to earn anywhere near an additional 26% more this year. It’s in this context that I find the response by the Florida Education Association offensive. 

Teachers and the education establishment are generally coddled by news media, serious dissemination of information and analysis of teacher pay, as I’m doing in this story, rarely if ever takes place. Which takes me back to your desire to have the FEA dissolved. I understand and I agree. There are 137,761 members of the FEA. They collectively bargain not against a private entity, but against the taxpayers they represent. We don’t have any choice but to pay taxes or lose our property, freedom or both. When public resources, our taxes and subsequent increases, force Floridians to pay more. Any analysis of teacher pay that isn’t weighed against the citizens they serve isn’t credible or objective. The FEA has made clear, often in conjunction with news media, that ignorance (ironically enough) is bliss. Playing the role of victims is easier and has proven far more effective for them. Often people, especially teachers, are critical of the way I inform on these issues. Let me be clear that nothing I’ve shared or continue to share is anti-education or teachers. It’s simply objective information that’s lacking in the public discourse of these debates. There are two sides to stories and one side to facts. I never apologize for facts that make some uncomfortable. That’s generally when they’re needed most.

Submit your questions using one of these methods. 

Email: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com

Twitter: @brianmuddradio

Facebook: Brian Mudd https://www.facebook.com/brian.mudd1

Photo by: Getty Images


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