At least it's going in the right direction! Pay for substitute teachers, that is.
If you've ever subbed in a classroom, you know how demanding a job it is. You earn every penny of the meager sum doled out for hours of stress. In addition, since subs must be assumed to be brainless and incompetent, whatever lesson plans you have require no professionalism at all. In fact, mostly subbing = babysitting, whether the students are 7 or 17.
These conditions result from the low pay and even lower requirements to be a sub, the latter being a result of the former. Truth to tell, most school districts still haven't learned that college-educated women now can look forward to careers other than teaching and certainly other than subbing.
So it's some relief to see that the Charleston County School District is showing signs of understanding reality. A shortage of substitute teachers directly results from low pay.
Duh.
A new proposal suggests that "Uncertified substitute teachers would see their pay rise from $64 a day ($8 an hour) to $96 a day, or $12 an hour. Certified substitutes would receive $112 a day ($14 an hour), up from $80 a day currently."
Get that? What other certified professional would accept $14 per hour?
Accountants? No.
Lawyers? Please stop joking.
Plumbers? Stop that.
And CCSD's bus drivers get $15 per hour.
Bus driver? Certified teacher? What's the difference? Bus drivers are more valuable.
"While the proposal could increase [costs] by $2 million, [Board member Todd] Garrett said district officials still are working on an estimate of its financial impact for this budget year. He said it likely will be 'minimal,' because of savings from unfilled vacancies and from a rate reduction by Kelly Services, a staffing firm that works with the district to provide substitutes."
The effect on education will also be "minimal." Paying professional babysitters $14 per hour. Here's an example of why teachers and their substitutes get little respect from the general public.
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