Teachers and Moonlighting- Perfect Together ?

Should teachers Moonlight?

When  my wife and I started  public school teaching over 40 years, we both took on seconds jobs. The purpose was to save extra money for a down payment for our first house. During our careers this was a way to get ahead as in the early 70s teacher salaries were low and did not go up very much. We also had to endure the Wage/ Price Freeze during the Nixon Era. But now we are confronted with a paradigm shift. Even though the rate of inflation is low, teachers are losing ground. According to a recent Associated Press news article, as many as 20% of teachers nationwide have had to take second jobs. The percentage is even higher in Texas.  Some teachers have had to agree to salary cuts in order to keep their jobs.  In other districts teachers have been asked to contribute more to their health insurance premiums and put a larger chunk of their pay into state pension funds- (many of which are currently underfunded). As a result of this economic upheaval, many teachers have had to resort to taking second jobs, and not just for the Christmas holidays. Which brings me to the theme of today’s discussion - Should teachers have to moonlight? If we consider teaching to be a profession rather than a blue collar job, one would think that teachers, as college educated professionals (many with advanced degrees) should be adequately compensated for their work. We also need to look at the residual fallout from this situation. If a teacher works an additional 20 hours a week at a second job, what impact is it having on the teacher as well as the students in the classroom?  That is 20 fewer hours to write effective lesson plans, 20 fewer hours to grade papers, 20 fewer hours to attend graduate school classes and workshops that would serve to enhance teaching skills. Is the teacher more tired and less alert in classroom- an environment where one must be alert and on their toes at all times? In other words, having a second job may impact one’s ability to be an effective teacher. Most school districts do not have a formal policy regarding second jobs although district officials may we mindful if a teacher’s performance sags.  In order to avoid that classroom deficit, many teachers take on summer employment.

It is generally well known that teachers in other countries are more highly regarded than those in the US and as a result of that respect, earn higher salaries commensurate with their education. They are considered true professionals both in pay and stature. How are we going to convince the American people that US teachers are in the same category?  As always your comment and feedback are welcome.