Thread by @jamestalarico

When I was a public school teacher, I struggled to make ends meet.

My coworkers drove Ubers at night and sold their blood plasma for extra money.

Today I filed a bill mandating a minimum salary of $70,000 for every teacher in Texas. #txlege

Our teachers have endured a global pandemic, an economic collapse, and a deadly winter storm.

They held our communities together through these historic crises.

Teachers had our backs. Now we must have theirs.

Last session, my colleagues and I passed House Bill 3, which gave almost every Texas teacher a long overdue raise. Unfortunately it was only a $3k bump on average.

This bill, HB 3580, can finish the job.

Nationally, teachers make 20% less than other college-educated workers with similar experience.

In Texas, teacher salaries are $5,700 behind the national average.

40% of teachers work another job during the school year according to @txstateteachers.

94% of teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies. These educators, on average, spend $497 annually on supplies according to @TexasAFT.

This is not just about fairness. It’s about recruiting and retaining the best talent in our classrooms.

We’re losing 45% of our teachers in the first five years. And that was before the pandemic.

I left the classroom because I knew I could never support a family on my salary.

This shouldn’t be an unfunded mandate.

Our state government can fund this pay raise with a combination of federal funds, new revenue, and cutting wasteful spending like the $800M we spend grandstanding on the Texas/Mexico border.

Why $70,000?

Research indicates a $70,000 - $75,000 salary is the baseline income needed for emotional well-being.

Just ask @DanPriceSeattle.

Why focus on teachers?

Teachers are THE most important profession. Without them, there would be no other profession.

Instead of just calling teachers “heroes,” let’s pay them like heroes.