Issue is bigger than teacher pay in Arizona

Long-term funding fix is needed for state to move forward

Late Thursday night, the results came in: Arizona’s school teachers voted to strike.

The move is not immediate, with the movement’s leaders noting that teachers and support staff will stay on the job at least through Wednesday, to give communities time to prepare, according to Capitol Media Services. And, it remains to be seen what impact that will have in Yuma specifically.

Teachers are taking a stand, and it’s one that has the potential to have a ripple effect across every industry in Arizona. After all, what will working parents do when suddenly, their young elementary school-aged children don’t have school?

It’s a risky move, and one that effectively bounces the ball right back into the state’s court.

In the days leading up to the strike vote, Gov. Doug Ducey offered to give teachers a 20 percent raise by 2020, but the plan was met with mixed support over questions on how it would be funded and an omission of raises for support staff.

Critics have also questioned whether or not Ducey’s plan is sustainable, the impact it would have on the state budget, and whether or not it is simply taking money from one educational category to pay for another, robbing other areas to cover the teachers’ raises.

Problems in schools across Arizona are serious. Over the last few weeks, as this discussion has become progressively more heated, we’ve seen reports of schools across the state with outdated text books, broken equipment and buildings in need of some TLC. CNN interviewed a San Tan Valley teacher who had regular visitors to her classroom — in the form of snakes, scorpions and rats.

Teachers are relied upon to make one of the biggest investments possible — educating our children. They deserve to be compensated, and to know that when they walk in the door, they have the tools and the support they need to do the job.

Yuma’s teachers note they want competitive pay — both for themselves and for the support staff at schools. They also want an end to tax cuts that undermine education — and a sustainable way to fund education in Arizona in the future.

Teachers aren’t looking to address only pay. They are looking to our state’s leadership to fix education funding as a whole — and they are making sure their voices are heard.

The question is, is this the right move to impact change? Are the teachers’ demands fair, and what should the state do next? Let us know your thoughts, readers. Send in a Letter to the Editor at letters@ yumasun.com, or comment on this editorial at www. YumaSun.com.