Politics Alabama

Opinion: Leaders Should Lead

This page was last updated: 31 May, 2012

Leaders Should Lead

by Justin Wilson

Posted: February 27, 2005

We've been hearing for several weeks that Paul Hubbard wants a 7% raise for teachers. A 7% raise is apparently to steep for this fiscal year because governor Bob Riley has proposed a 4% raise in his budget.

Although it will not solve the problem of reaching the 7% proposed raise by Hubbard, our State Superintendents should take a cut in their salary. Montgomery superintendent Carlinda Purcell will make around $160,000 this year. Alabama's state superintendent James Morton, makes around $175,000. Not to say that our state superintendents don't earn their salary, but when teachers haven't been given a raise for 3 years, sacrifices should be made.

When it comes to big cuts in the education budget, teachers are always at the front of the chopping block. Teachers are ultimately the ones that do the "dirty work" to make the superintendents look good.

As stated earlier, superintendents taking a cut in their salary will not grant the 7% pay raise, but it will certainly give teachers around the state a much needed morale boost to know that superintendents are willing to step up during hard fiscal times.

Please contact your local superintendent to ask them to take a cut in their salary. A list of superintendents, along with an email address and phone number can be obtained at www.Alabama.gov.

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