Dear Editor,

The state of South Carolina has a budget surplus of over $900 million as we approach the opening of the new legislative session.

For the last five years our teachers and administrators have not received a step increase for their years of experience. What they have received are furlough days without pay, more accountability and more mandates with fewer resources to accomplish educational goals.

We entrust our most precious resource – our children to our teachers and administrators daily. We ask them to perform miracles. We ask them to do for our children what many of the children’s families refuse to do. Yet, the very people who will be the most influential persons in the lives of our children, our teachers and administrators, we refuse to compensate properly. We give our children many gifts but none is more important than good teachers and administrators.

How we treat and compensate our public educators says a great deal about our society and our priorities.

It’s payback time. It is time to properly compensate our South Carolina teachers and administrators for their hard work, dedication and professionalism. Dedication of our teachers and administrators does not buy their food, pay their rent or send their children to college.

In South Carolina education is the key to our economic future. Our educators hold the future of our children in their hands. Our taxpayers and legislators must also hold the future of our students in their hands. Are we willing to properly compensate our teachers and administrators? Yes, it is pay back time!

Brooks P. Moore

Blue House Road

Ladson

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