Schandevel supports students, teachers
To the Editor:
I am writing this letter as a plea for parents to think about education as you cast your ballot in the midterm elections. I have been an educator for 24 years and I am the parent of a sweet middle school girl. I am in the thick of it. What do I see? I see schools running on fumes and teachers facing impossible expectations daily. Teaching has always been complicated. Complicated is great. Complicated makes our job stimulating. Seemingly impossible; well, that is something that takes a toll. It makes us want to leave. The young ones often do. We must make a change. The change starts at the voting booth.
Our future depends upon offering quality public education opportunities for our children with the best teachers in our classrooms. Rhonda Schandevel is a champion for education. She believes that our schools, our children, and our teachers deserve to be properly supported. As a lawmaker, she will work to create and protect educational opportunities for our children.
In North Carolina, our jobs have become almost impossible because of representatives like Michele Presnell. Ask a teacher (not in the school car line, but in the grocery store at the Dollar General). Yes, some teachers have received pay raises. Some of us are veterans who are a bit stuck on the pay scale but would be quite grateful for manageable class sizes, textbooks, dry erase markers, and a few more glue sticks.
It is about far more than teacher pay. Schools need resources to address mental wellness (the latest stats show that 1 in 5 children and youth suffer from an emotional, behavioral, or mental health disorder), textbooks that aren’t duct taped and/or missing pages, and teachers need to feel like they have access to the resources that they need to help their students be successful. According to NCAE, North Carolina is currently 39th in pupil spending and is projected to be 37th in teacher pay.
Rhonda is endorsed by NCAE because they know that she is fighting for your children to have the best education. She believes that investment in our children is an investment in our future. College teaching program enrollment in the UNC System has dropped over 25% over the past few years. North Carolina schools are having a hard time filling positions with highly qualified teachers, and they are having an even harder time keeping teachers in those positions. If we do not make a change now, who will be left in our classrooms? We should be alarmed.
We need leaders in Raleigh who understand what we are up against. Rhonda understands the value in our schools and the power of the investment. Educators know that Rhonda Schandevel is our best chance to save our schools. It all seems pretty overwhelming; however, we can work together and build a better future for our children. It all starts with a vote. A small act will have a HUGE impact! Considering the miracles that schools work every day without proper funding, can you IMAGINE what we can do if we ARE adequately funded? Watch out world! A vote for Rhonda Schandevel is a vote for a brighter future for North Carolina.
Carla Brookshire
Tuscola High School Teacher
