Substitute teachers’ pay is lacking | Commentary

Imagine that tomorrow morning you will work with people you’ve never met at a place you’ve never been. If you’ve arrived early, you will have approximately 15 minutes to orient yourself. If you need assistance, the name of a small child has been provided.

Depending on the child’s age, they are likely to be helpful with matters as serious as, say, showing you where the markers are. They are less likely to help with anything more challenging, as they may or may not be able to read, and are not allowed to go places by themselves. Meanwhile, each second spent unsure of yourself is a second the 20-plus children you’ve been tasked with keeping safe evaluate whether or not you have authority. If the children have reached puberty, the chance for disaster only increases.

For this job, which you may have taken shortly before it began, you will be paid $15 an hour. This amount decreases for every extra minute you spend preparing or documenting. Time will be saved by not filling out paperwork for insurance and health care, as there is none. You will be offered children’s portions of chocolate milk, square-shaped pizza and canned corn for lunch so long as you are willing to pay for it.

Please help put parents in charge of their child’s education by forwarding this article to other parents, family, friends and voters.