The debate continues unabated in Oklahoma over State Question 779, which would give the state’s teachers a $5,000 pay raise. To help settle the argument, The Tulsa World investigated what such a raise would mean for Oklahoma’s educators.
The teachers the World spoke with said the raise would go a long way toward making them feel valued in their home state. Miami Public Schools Superintendent Jeremy Hogan put the matter into stark terms: “When you can drive 30 minutes across the state line to Missouri, or 20 minutes to Kansas, and make an average of $7,800 more, you’ve got to make some decisions that are best for your family,” he said.
Stephanie Suender is an example of one such teacher. She taught in Tulsa for five years before leaving for $20,000 more per year, teaching in Grand Prairie, Texas. For Richard Patterson, another Oklahoma teacher, a $5,000 raise would mean he could give up his second job at Walmart.
