Searcy, AR (LP) — Teachers are underpaid. Let’s be honest, being a teacher is one of the most underpaid jobs across the United States. They’re seen as the lowest of the working class. No one knows what’s like being a teacher other than teachers. From grading hundreds of assignments, dealing with parents, and recieveing blame for only tring to do what’s best for the student. In case no one has realized teachers are the fundamental element in schools. Without them, students could not reach their educational goals and districts could not be sustained. Most of these teachers have spent years teaching at different schools or universities to provide their knowledge into the minds of students. There is a precious asset which cannot be replaced and that is time. Teachers spend around 8-10 hours working just on campus not including the time they spend at their home. The time that takes away from their children, family and loved ones.

The student body never understood the sacrifices that were made by these people. Just ask Mrs. Butler. She’s been teaching in Searcy for sixteen years. She taught for two years in Augusta and an agent instructor for Harding University for one year.

Before she became a teacher she worked in public relations. She stated,  “We have rules set out by the principals that we have to take care of… have to enforce the dress code and student behavior…student conduct and the code of conduct… we have the same dress code and conduct.” As this may be something that is common but there are stressful cases. For example, the Covid-19 pademic has shocked the world. There was a lack of toiliet paper, food, gas and even bicycles.  But the most stressful part about the whole pademic is how schools function. Last year most of the students in the Searcy School District were virtual. Many faced challenges and had to come to school in order to pass their classes. But the teachers were stressed. For the students that went to school they had the opportunity of being taught. Teachers were running from the board to their computer to make sure all their students got the same opportunity as if they were there. But because of the constant rush of being at two places, in person and online, caused stress and problems for teachers. Mrs. Butler also stated, “Covid has been the most challenging part of my entire career… the pandemic and the shutdown that has started 18 months ago and when we all went virtual we thought we would be in school in a couple of weeks…my job in the last 18 months has changed probably three or four times.”

Imagine you’re at your job and your manager tells you to work but not how you did before but different every now and then. That’s the lives of teachers. Constanly changing the way they teach, grade and even work past their own limit.

Their challenges has a price and some might say that it’s not enough. The average pay for a teacher in the United States is $62,870. In Arkansas it is only $54,815. This is just a few thousand dollars below the median but not for Mr. McCammon. He has worked with the district for over 20 years being a coach, teacher and a administrator. He taught physical science, health and ecology. He worked as a teacher for 11 years. He said, “Everybody in the education puts in a lot of hours.. they’re long days, good days, bad days…there are days that you don’t get paid but it is all dedicated to helping student and requires a lot of time. On the weekend, after school, before school or in the summer. We all put in days and hours that are above and beyond what we have to.”  Teachers are  not as appreciated as a administrators. He says, “All the time. Students thank me and other teachers for the job that they are doing. Teachers thank me for helping them and even parents appreciate the work that we are doing here at Searcy High.”  Mrs Butler said, “My motivation is to help students to succeed in life that’s why I teach high school. I have two former students that teach Augusta Elementary, one of them I had here in Searcy she was in the ninth grade. She raised her hand and made a comment on the topic we were reading. Years later when she finished her education and got a job teaching. I ran into her at a teaching convention and told me I’m the reason she became a teacher.” That kind of influece from anyone is the greatest reward. Watching them grow and advance on into life. So are teachers underpaid? Or is the reward greater than their salary?