Just before Christmas, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and Congressman Jamal Bowman proposed the American Teacher Act that most notably establishes on the federal level a minimum teacher salary.
While I have a healthy dose of skepticism about this kind of intervention from DC - especially given the narrow, 4-year window, I do think it is important to talk about this issue. I suspect the reality is that the legislation is a lot of talk - and that's not necessarily bad. A lot can be said about the inadequacy of teacher compensation. While Mississippi has taken some strides to boost teacher pay, North Carolina appears poised to head in a really bad direction. Perhaps a national conversation - and the potential for some federal pressure - could help spur some state-level solutions.
While I have a healthy dose of skepticism about this kind of intervention from DC - especially given the narrow, 4-year window, I do think it is important to talk about this issue. I suspect the reality is that the legislation is a lot of talk - and that's not necessarily bad. A lot can be said about the inadequacy of teacher compensation. While Mississippi has taken some strides to boost teacher pay, North Carolina appears poised to head in a really bad direction. Perhaps a national conversation - and the potential for some federal pressure - could help spur some state-level solutions.