Teachers are incredibly underpaid. They deserve more pay than what they are getting currently, which is $8,200 less that the national average.

Teachers try very hard to help their students and the school. Most like their jobs, and love their students. Teachers are patient and understanding with children. They know what to do when a student is upset. They are kind, but firm. Many adults today couldn’t be here without their teachers. Teachers make children’s lives better, so why should they have trouble with their own? The average teacher leaves the classroom after five years. Teachers would not leave so soon if they were appreciated and compensated more.

Teachers at most Colorado schools are at school an average of 1060 hours a year. This means they are at school for more than 8 hours a day! Students are there for 6-7.5 hours a day, and the teachers teach them all day. After school ends for students, the teachers run extracurricular activities, work, and then go home to a salary that is barely enough to live on. We overlook this because most students are not aware that teachers are paid so little.

Teachers make schools possible. They are the only reason that people can learn in a public, private, online, charter, or magnet school. When they are at school, they do their best to help their students and make learning fun. You can’t have a school without teachers. It just isn’t possible! If you don’t have teachers, no one would learn anything. Schools get the credit for helping people learn, but this credit should go to the teachers for what they have done.

Teachers don’t get the credit they deserve for all the things they have done for our society. They deserve a better pay, and that is why we decided to do something about it. Please don’t ignore this problem for any longer. You can’t. In my experience, I have had many great teachers in this district. The sad part is, many of these teachers have left this district because they are underpaid and underappreciated. Teachers deserve better pay, for how hard they work, the hours that they work, and for making schools and learning possible.

What would our world be without our teachers? Teachers are the base of society. Teachers help us prepare for the real world, and help us learn different important life concepts and such that will assist with our adult lives. Without them, we would never get anywhere, and our communal knowledge would be at a standstill. Because of their drastic impact on our world, I, along with many others, believe that teachers deserve a raise.

Please sign our petition to help all teachers, because they deserve so much more.