In a Facebook post, State Auditor Gary Jones says a state legislator should earn
the same salary as a beginning teacher. “I have said Oklahoma lawmakers pay
should be the same as beginning pay of a teacher.”
Jones was responding to former State Rep. Corey Holland on Facebook who said
Oklahoma’s lawmakers were among the best paid while teachers are among the
worst. Holland is now a school principal in Cache, where Jones also lives. His
wife also is a teacher in Cache.
Holland’s post said this: “Fact 1: Only 13 states pay their state legislators more than Oklahoma pays. 47 states pay their teachers more than Oklahoma pays. When asked about bills filled to lower the pay of legislators, Speaker Jeff Hickman was quoted as saying, “The truth is you get what you pay for.” I agree completely. Fact 2: A new Oklahoma legislator makes $38,400. A new Oklahoma teacher makes $31,600. his isn’t about being divisive. We should pay our legislators well bccause they spend countless hours working that most folks never see. The same is true for
teachers. I fear if we don’t address teacher pay soon, the teacher shortage will reach critical status.”
So, do the teachers get a raise to 38.4k, or is the legislative pay decreased to 31.6k? All the article seems to say is ‘equal pay for all’.
Oklahoma is being damaged by low teacher pay – less than surrounding states. Teachers should make at least as much as our legislators. I have experienced cases of excellent teachers who wanted to stay here after graduation having to accept jobs elsewhere, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area