Professor Graff
POS 101
My Law Every year there are many laws proposed to Congress also called bills. Many of these bills are denied and forgotten. But an occasional bill makes its way through Capitol Hill and becomes a law and I believe my proposed bill should be a law. The law I am proposing is that education teachers at all levels pre, elementary ,middle, high school, and college teachers should all have a higher salary. This proposed law matters and should be passed by Congress because teachers play a huge role in our society today because teachers are the ones who educate the future doctors and lawyers of the world. Without teachers children would lack the basic skills needed to survive in this world. Even though they play such a large role they are not treated like it. On the pay scale teachers are among the lowest paid professionals with a bachelor’s degree and often a master’s degree. The average teacher in Illinois as of 2009 makes 57,000 dollars (Teacher Salary Info). But that is the average and a lot of teachers do not make that in their first couple years they have to put in a lot of service to for example my mom is a teacher in the Springfield District 186 school district and with her first year teaching with a masters degree she made 35,000 dollars which is 5,000 dollars more than a first year teacher with a bachelors degree made. This is an honest living but still for the work teachers do it is not enough because most teachers do not just work eight hour school days because they have to arrive earlier than students and often stay late to help children who need extra help. Then when teachers go home they have to grade papers, tests, and homework which could take a few hours and then prepare lesson plans for the week. So teaching becomes more of a ten hour job than just an eight hour job and their salary is pretty low for a ten hour day. Also teachers often spend a lot of their own money to supply extra pencils, paper, and tissues for low income students who cannot afford the basic necessities. In addition to this teachers teach children how to read, write, and solve math problems which are all important parts of everyday life no matter what your job is. But they also serve as social works, psychologists, counselors, mentors to kids, and also help parents in teaching children many social values like not to hit others, not to cheat, not to steal, and many other important lessons that help kids progress in life. To get support for my proposed law I would go around to schools at all levels all across the country speaking and presenting to teachers and superintendents by using power point presentations, pamphlets, and catchy signs about raising teacher salary. Also I would speak to the many different teachers unions across the country also speaking to them about raising teacher salary. From this I might even cause a teacher strike or two so superintendents and unions across the country would listen because no one likes a strike especially since a teacher strike impacts so many children as well. So obviously teacher unions would support my law because what teacher doesn’t think they should be paid a higher salary? Also parent-teacher associations and organizations would support my law because those groups are always looking for the best interest of a school and higher salary is in the best interest of school because teachers are molding the minds of the future. My proposed law or bill that teachers should have a higher salary would get support from many interests groups. These interest groups would consist of the American Federation of Teachers, Partnership for Public Education, the National Education Association, the Educational Excellence Network, the Center for Education Reform, and the Separation from of School & State Alliance (About). One lobbyist that would support higher salaries for education teachers would be Ellin Nolan who is an educational lobbyist from Washington D.C. (Russo). A list of