My name is Lindsey Prather. I am proud of North Carolina’s public schools. I attended local public schools and then attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville as a recipient of the NC Teaching Fellows Scholarship, which provides financial aid to aspiring educators. I also taught in Buncombe County Schools for six years.
My experience as an educator led me to run for the North Carolina State Legislature. Our teachers and students know they deserve more than what President Trump’s MAGA Republicans are offering. And we are committed to doing everything we can to recruit and retain great teachers and provide a quality education to our students in every zip code.
That’s why when we look at what’s at stake for students and educators this November, we see a clear choice. From teacher pay to early childhood education to the success of public schools, President Biden has been our champion while Donald Trump has been an obstacle.
In fact, Donald Trump has announced that he will punish schools and students by taking away funding if we do not comply with demands such as abolishing teacher terms and reducing administrative staff. In the midst of a teacher shortage, these policies will add to the burden on schools rather than alleviate it.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has invested in teachers to recruit and retain them, rather than kick them out. President Biden has invested more in education than any other president, advancing teacher preparation through the creation of new and innovative programs. These types of investments make teachers feel valued and are essential to helping schools overcome the post-COVID-19 teacher shortage.
But there is still work to be done. North Carolina ranks near the bottom of the nation in teacher pay, and too many educators are forced to take second jobs to make ends meet while teaching children. During my first year as a teacher in 2011, I only made about $30,000, barely enough to pay my rent. We need to do better because even teachers who have been in schools for years are not making enough money, and the average teacher salary in North Carolina remains below $58,000.
I wanted to become a teacher in part because of the wonderful teachers I had growing up. We are currently losing many excellent teachers. That’s because they can no longer afford to stay in the classroom and are seeking better-paying roles in school administration or other fields. President Biden and Governor Cooper are fighting to pay teachers the compensation they deserve. Meanwhile, former President Trump is fighting to make teachers pay higher taxes than wealthy donors.
President Biden also canceled student loan debt for thousands of educators, many here in North Carolina. This forgiveness made a huge difference for the teacher. Under President Donald Trump, 99% of applicants for public service loan forgiveness, including teachers, were denied.
As President Biden said in his State of the Union address, to have the world’s strongest economy, we need the world’s best education system. President Biden will help teachers and educators here in North Carolina continue to serve the minds of the next generation of scientists, doctors, diplomats, artists, and engineers. Donald Trump will continue to stand in our way and make it difficult for our students to grow.
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Representative Lindsay Prather He is an educator, community leader, and public servant who represents southwestern Buncombe County in the North Carolina General Assembly.
