This past November 6, 71 percent of Miami Dade voters agreed that our teachers had earned a pay raise dignified and reflective of the work they had done to make our district one of the best in the nation. The United Teachers of Dade cannot thank the community enough for this overwhelming support.
A+ Teachers Create A+ Schools, wasn’t just our slogan, it is our guiding light in everything we do and over the past five years, we have seen the results of those efforts come to fruition. From student test scores rising across the board, quickly decreasing dropout rates to an overall “A” rating for the school district, the success of our educators has been undeniable.
Much of the credit for these amazing outcomes is due to our committed professionals, parents, PTAs and school board members who have worked together to ensure that our children have what they need, despite the limited resources we have been given.
However, it is our teachers who foster the relationships and who create the magic necessary to properly educate, guide, discipline and inspire our children to be successful in and outside of the classroom.
In spite of the gains that have been achieved, these same teachers are making less today than they were 20 years ago because the minimal raises they have seen have not kept up with the rising costs of living in Miami-Dade. Year after year, we have watched as our representatives in Tallahassee prioritize corporate tax breaks, incentives, and for-profit models over public education. This strategy has left our teachers’ pay ranked 45th out of 50 states in the nation and has put our community in grave danger of losing its professional academic workforce all together, from K-12 schools through the university level.
As if that weren’t enough, our teachers reach into their own pockets every school year to purchase school supplies, spending nearly $500 on average. These circumstances have left many teachers without any other option than to take a second or sometimes a third job just to continue working in the profession they love. As a result, 11 counties throughout Florida, and now Miami-Dade, have acted independently because it is clear that we cannot continue to rely on Tallahassee to do the right thing. But hopefully, with your support, that has begun to change.
Our teachers will continue the hard work of creating the next generation of future leaders, entrepreneurs, parents, public servants and stewards of our community. Here at United Teachers of Dade, we will continue to advocate for our public school educators and students, both in the legislature and here at home. Thank you to the Miami Dade School Board members who supported us in creating this referendum. The resounding approval from voters validates your courage. We are incredibly grateful and humbled by the support. It indeed takes a village.
Karla Hernandez Mats is the President of United Teachers of Dade, the largest teachers’ union in the State of Florida, representing over 25,000 education professionals and their rights.
