I became a teacher during the Great Recession. As a STEM lab instructor, I got to see the light come on for students both literally when they studied circuits, and figuratively when students mastered new science principles through hands-on lessons. Seeing the excitement on their faces when we used real instruments—like when we checked the speed of the wind using an anemometer—those moments will stay with me forever.
My students called me ‘Mr. Ross the Science Boss’ because I brought science to life for them and it touched my heart. The STEM lab closed in 2018 due to lack of funding. That hurt. But far tougher are the sacrifices my family and I have been forced to make over the years.
I love my job, but not the financial struggle that came with it.
I made a starting salary of $30,000 a year. I didn’t bring in enough to support myself and It was a struggle to constantly live in a state of almost fear, where we were but one emergency away from basically being bankrupt. In my 11th year of teaching, I had to get a part-time job working at Target.
I sacrificed so much time from my children. I lost all those Friday evenings, Saturdays, and almost every Sunday with my family. My wife would bring the kids to the store just so they could see me.
My daughter is four years old. She told me that when she grows up she wants to be a teacher like mommy and papa. Instead of filling my heart with joy, I was instead filled with fear because as a parent, I don’t want my daughter to struggle as I have.
I used to feel I was failing my family, that I must be doing something wrong. But I have come to realize, it’s not me who’s the problem. It’s the system and the way that we value teachers.
The 2020 election is an opportunity for educators to take a stand. That’s why we need a candidate who’s going to respect educators by providing a salary that enables us to live with a sense of dignity.
