Letter: Financially Tighter after the School Teacher Raise

To Whom It May Concern:

I am sitting down to pen a letter that is on everyone’s mind, yet we all don’t have an answer, so maybe we can brainstorm together.

I was talking to my neighbor whose wife is a teacher and he was telling me that the school his wife works in joined Torah Umesorah, and this year gave a 10k raise (which not all schools that joined gave that much). He was saying that this year he is much more tight financially than last year before the raise, due to playgroup and babysitting raises, tuition raises, and the cuts he is getting from government welfare cuts. He explained to me it is on a sliding scale the more you make the less funds you receive but normally worth it to make more. However, with all these raises (this is not including the regular inflation at the grocery and all stores plus sharp increases of rent that I know he was hit with), he is so tight that his wife might have to leave teaching next year.
Now I know there is no quick fix answer, but Torah Umesorah did all this to try to find an answer to the teaching crisis that is going on that it is so hard to find qualified good teachers…. and here we are in an even worse situation than before. (I know the issue, as one of my children was stuck going through sub to sub last year after teacher had a medical emergency with a family member that they couldn’t come in and they couldn’t find anyone qualified to fill position. So they got subs instead which is not great at all but I guess better than an unqualified teacher…)
For myself, I took a lesson from this that I will try to maybe tip generously before every Yom Tov starting Sukkos. Teachers should be the first place I should give my money to and maybe ease their financial stress. But I know that not all parents can afford that, so let’s brainstorm together to figure out what we can do for OUR children so that we won’t be stuck with not qualified teachers… We must step up to the plate before it is too late and we are in a real crisis.
I know I am expecting to see a bunch of comments of how teachers hardly work… but realize that this is our future generation, and after talking to people in the field, it is a very high stress job. It is physically draining, and needs a lot of prep to be a good teacher.

Gmar Chasima Tova,
Yaakov

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25 COMMENTS

  1. I think you are 100 percent correct Teachers do work hard and do not get paid enough and not for one second do I deny this. However, there are those who are not teachers and their tuition went up. They do not get a tuition break since they work and they are not a teacher or in Yeshiva. When do they get a break, their bosses can’t give them a raise because everything went up in them. I think we are so focused on Teachers and forgetting everyone else. Can we maybe brainstorm and figure out how to help everyone.
    One question, Torah Umesorah gave money to some schools so how come almost every school went up over 1000 a child.

    • You are absolutely correct and halevay someone can come up with a solution. The teacher discussion is something else. It’s not about prioritizing teachers over other professions. It’s simply about need. We all need qualified teachers for our children. More than we need any other professional whom we understand demands appropriate payment. If yea CT Ed’s will refuse to teach because they need to support their family in other professions then we need to come up with a plan to help us all. and no, I am not a teacher. Nor is my wife

  2. Does anyone know any schools that got money from Tora Umesora yet?
    I was at a meeting (regarding another topic) with 3 girl schools last week representing over 200 children ka”h, none of them got any money or knew anyone that received.

  3. Simple. If he would rather stay on government programs, he can decline the raise. Everyone is tighter this year. Does it really make sense that the schools are raising tuition rates and say they are passing it on to the teachers but do not recognize that much of the parent body are struggling with basic bills due to inflation prices on pretty much everything? If only other employers would start giving pay increases accordingly as well. It is a sad situation when you hear people complain that a 10k raise is causing them extra hardship. Ridiculous. No one is asking them to accept it. On the other hand, I do agree with you that we should tip teachers extra before Yom Tov. In fact, this is appropriate for any good employer as well. Tip your employees and show a little Hakoros Hatov and show you understand that this time of year is really expensive – it will go a long way.

  4. again I wasn’t coming to tell people to tip if they can’t afford and I don’t think that that will be the fix to supply demand issue in finding qualified teachers (that was only a thing that I was able to do personally at least in my situation and feel I am trying my little bit that I can do) I was coming that we should brainstorm what we can do to fix this issue that we won’t loose our teachers I know everyone is suffering and so are they even more than all of us as they were always suffering and NOW they are worse off with their raises (can’t imagine what would have been without their raises we would have had no teachers left) again as I started I have no plan was thinking we can brainstorm together (and no I don’t work in the chinuch field don’t make money on that…)

  5. If the schools would be willing to hire girls straight out of seminary as they do in Bnos Bracha of Passaic and other places with phenomenal success, there wouldn’t be a teacher crisis. Many of these girls with mentoring are top notch teachers who also know how to connect with their talmidos. If these girls are trusted by very successful businesses to work for them, why do we think they can’t be great teachers? Once they start something else because we don’t allow them to teach, we’ve lost them to teaching forever. The schools are creating their own problem.

    • Sem girls? You kidding? Do you have any experience in chinuch? I’m in the field for a long time. The biggest mistake schools make (to save/make money) is hiring the young kids. How can a 19yo effectively gain the respect of her students. A lot of that type of instruction is based on discipline and instilling fear.

      Yes, that’s the starting point for many kids shutting down. They’re scared to go to school.

    • My wife is a teacher but I would not recommend my daughter follow in that path despite the fact that she’s right out of sem. Hourly my wife makes about 30% more than my housekeeper does. it simply does not make any sense in the long term. a young girl might not need a great income but it would be ridiculous financially to take the teaching career path it’s simply not feasible for most girls.
      Back in the day it was considered a sacrifice however today, due to the fact that most schools are profitable businesses it’s kind of cynical to expect teachers to carry the burden so administrators\owners can reap the benefits of having classes 40 plus students….. Enough said

    • My child’s development is much more important to me than my business. There’s no comparison between the chinuch qualifications of an experienced teacher to a girl out of school. A better yet instill insufficient comparison would be a comparison between an experienced doctor & a fresh college grad from medical school. You get what you pay for in this world, there are no shortcuts.

  6. Currently both teachers and parents are suffering. As a working person who has Boruch Hashem had an increased income this past year, my expenses has increased at a faster rate. With six tuitions and each going up significantly, and food prices increasing very rapidly, my raised income has not adequately covered my increased outlays. This is not only a teacher problem. This is a Parnasa proem and it is affecting many.

  7. chasdei lev –

    They do an excellent job. The organizational framework is super sensible and works for the schools and the rebbeim.

    Maybe someone can set up something similar for Morahs

    • I don’t live in lkwd so don’t know styles.
      Someone just showed me headbands that are $65! Even a “regular” one is $20.
      Besides the $120 shoes that everyone has to have (at least 2 pairs).
      Maybe that is the Parnassa problem.

  8. I know this is going to come across as highly unpopular, and critical and draw a lot of nasty responses. This is something that has been on my mind for the past few weeks.
    I have studied finances to a limited extent. I am not claiming to be a financial expert in the slightest. I have a job in the financial world and also work as a english teacher in Lakewood.
    When I was in 11th grade, my teacher told us that if the government would send checks to everyone’s home, it would just cause inflation as the dollar would be instantly worth less. But in 2020, that is exactly what the government did. I remembered those words my teacher had said 14 years earlier and sure enough, we are seeing it all unfold before our eyes. I spoke to another financial professional and he told me that as soon as the stimulus checks came out, he knew we were heading for inflation.

    (And now the part that is going to collect all the hate mail…)
    15 months ago someone told me how the BMG kollel check was going to be tripled. I told him all that would do is cause local inflation. Sure enough, we have it. Rents are up and most of it is probably due to that. In fact, to take a lesson out of the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, we are probably worse off than before. In that book he explains how the psychology of spending works. People are always a few dollars behind, but when they catch that break of a $5,000 check they didn’t expect, they go out and spend $10,000 putting themselves in even more debt. Facts are, most homes are bringing in a few dollars less than their budget, but if we give the people that money they are lacking, they would just buy themselves that nicer car and be more and more behind financially.

    Facts are as follows. We can scream from today until tomorrow how Rabbeim and teachers are underpaid, but if there are qualified people willing to do the job for what the schools are willing to pay, then we aren’t doing anyone any favors by giving handouts.
    It’s business 101, supply and demand. Always was, always will be. By giving money out, we are just devaluing the job and the dollar.
    English teachers for boys schools has become a highly paid job as they can’t find people to do it. I am making double the amount now than I was making when I started 5 years ago. If we can still find qualified Rabbeim and Morahs for a certain price, we should continue paying that price not raise salaries, followed by tuition and the like…
    Same with the Kollel checks. It was working. It was pennies, but people were happy. People were learning in Kollel and the check was a small incentive. Now a yungerman is bringing home an additional $8500 a year and his rent went up $10,000 a year putting him more in debt!!! (Not to mention that now that rents are up, home prices are up as they could apply the higher rent to their higher mortgage payment!)

    I know everyone from the BMG Kollel, Torah Umesorah and anyone else trying to put more money in people’s pockets really means well. The facts are, it’s supply and demand. It’s how it has always been and will continue to be. By putting more money in peoples pockets, albeit with good intentions, we are only hurting ourselves.

    Again, I don’t mean to be critical. Everyone involved has meant well, but the solution isn’t working.

    • Totality of your long speech says don’t give teachers more money as it will create local inflation, I fail to appreciate how teachers getting more money will create local inflation it’s too small of a percentage of the local economy,

      As such please everyone reading this open your hands and give Rebbies Mirah’s etc. as much as you could, they are usually eligible for tzedakah, don’t let a theoretical speech about not giving enter your mind, anything can be well written and subconsciously has an effect, that’s why I feel compelled to reply and say, it’s all absolute nonsense, open you hearts and Give!!!

      (I’m not a teacher etc. but I’m a parent and appreciate the Rebbies and Morah’s and i was inspired by the this artical to give more this year then I usually do)

      • Hi Dov, Let me ask you this. If a school raises teacher salaries by $10k each, and then turns around to the parents and says because we raised our teachers salaries, tuition is going up by 33%, do you understand how that can cause local inflation?

        And to your point, if you are capable of giving the Rabbeim and Morahs more, definitely do so! Personally, I try to give as much as I can as well.

  9. There’s no easy roads in life. When a community discourages creating a population that is mostly professionals & creates a large dependency on welfare, this is what happens.

    • To yup

      That’s incorrect.

      Low teachers salaries is a universal problem. In the non religious Israeli state education system ,the teachers wanted to strike this year because of low pay . In many states there,are public school teacher shortages because of low pay Don’t paint this as a kollel problem, because it’s not.

      • I’m talking in the Frum world. Where I’m from the Rebbeim are paid a Menschlich salary so they can support their families in a kavodik manner. This is possible because more parents can pay more tuition. (Not what the school asks but what parents can actually pay). This is because most of even the Yeshivish Baal Habatim (& often their wives too) are college educated professionals bringing home a decent salary.

  10. To Moshe

    I have spoken to several highly regarded schools. You are mistaken .it is becoming extremely difficult to find highly qualified teachers. Most new young women are not going into the teaching profession. And tge older experienced ones are in short supply . Fir older grades and fir high school ,experienced highly qualified teachers are necessary. Some schools are giving up and hiring young seminary graduates. Ask parents and you will see that they can see the difference. The experienced top teachers are in such high demand ,that as new schools ope ,they are getting higher salary offers and the existing schools jeed to raise them to keep them on staff . Soyes supply and demand dictates that without higher salaries,tge school will lose those teachers . Many experienced teachers are teaching less and finding higher incomes ,in adult education ,seminaries and other non school teaching fields that pay much better .In another few years ,we will turn around and scratch our heads as to why our daughters chinuch is much weaker than it was 20 years ago .

  11. Thanks Mike. If indeed that is the case, then yes the teacher salaries have to be raised, but I still don’t think it has to be a global campaign. I make more than my coworkers because I am experienced, have control… Demand for a teacher like myself is greater. I know it, I demand it and I get it.
    If we raise teacher salaries by $10k per teacher when the teachers would’ve been happy with another $5k and then we raise every parents tuition by $2k, how are we helping anyone? Plus, if a teacher is making $30k starting and was going to take the job, and then we give her $40k, then the experienced teacher will just demand more as well.
    My point was that we simply have to give people what they deserve and not compromise on our chinuch like you are saying, but at the same time, we can’t just give flat raises to all teachers, raise tuitions and not expect a crisis.

  12. I do feel bad that the teachers are suffering but so is everyone else out there. Is this teacher’s husband in yeshiva full time? and is she expecting to fully support her husband because one person’s salary in any job is not enough these days. Maybe her husband can ride a bus before he goes to learn and then again after yeshiva or tutor boys that need the extra help. Many people who work in offices have to work from 9 to 4/5 and still have to work a few hours at home again at night. If a teacher only works 9 to 1 and works for one hour a night Plus they get off very often. How can they expect to get a much higher salary?

  13. To SF

    It’s not about what they expect. Practically we are losing our best teachers and not getting enough younger women going into the field. So whether or not you are right ,or they are right, is irrelevant. We need top teachers and just like we pay fir anything else that we need ,we have to pay for this too . When the price of food goes up we don’t debate whether it’s justified or not . Even if it’s not, we need it and we figure out how to pay for it. Chinuch is no less important. When we need fid ir a house, we don’t tell the store owner to ride the bus so he can save money

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