August 20, 2024
Texas teachers are at a breaking point. The latest survey from the Texas State Teachers Association reveals that nearly two-thirds of our educators are seriously considering leaving the profession. That’s right—65% of teachers, the backbone of our communities, are thinking about walking away from their classrooms because they feel abandoned by our state leaders.
My opponent and the conservative legislature have spent years undermining our public schools, pushing for voucher programs that drain resources from public education, and ignoring the urgent needs of teachers. Just last year, Governor Abbott and his allies refused to increase funding for public education, despite a record $33 billion surplus. This is the reality: while our teachers struggle, the far right is determined to push a tax giveaway to private schools.
As I talk to teachers across our district, I hear the same concerns echoed time and again. They’re working multiple jobs to make ends meet, spending their own money on classroom supplies, and feeling demoralized by the political attacks on their profession. The survey shows that teachers are paid an average of $62,553 in Texas—well below the national average. Many of them are working extra jobs just to cover basic needs.
We cannot allow this to continue. Teachers should be valued, not vilified. They should be supported with fair pay and the resources they need to educate our children, not left to fend for themselves while the far right plays politics with their livelihoods.
This is why I’m running for office—because our teachers deserve better. They deserve leaders who will fight for them, not against them. But I can’t do this alone. I need your help to stand up against these attacks and make sure every teacher in Texas knows they have an advocate in me.
Together, we can show our teachers that they are valued, that their work matters, and that we will stand with them every step of the way.
Thank you for your support.
Erin Shank
Candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, HD 56
ความคิดเห็น