Stan Geiger

Teachers and the Moving Threat

I've heard it more times than I can count: Oklahoma teachers can make more money somewhere else, so if we don't give them raises every year they will all move and there will be no one to teach the kidlets. Another load of poop---courtesy of the political-educational complex.

I'll begin with this point: Public education is one of the most statistic-happy industries in the country, yet I've never seen a shred of documentation that backs up the above claim. Politicians make the statement. Teachers make the statement. And the media dutifully publishes those statements as gospel with no further investigation.

The regional average teacher pay figure versus Oklahoma's average teacher pay figure is typically used as rationale to justify the threat of a mass teacher exodus. According to the governor, the regional average is currently $1,200 above Oklahoma's average. Hence his push for $1,200 raises this year.

A point to make here is our region includes Colorado, Missouri and Texas. It, therefore, includes Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. These are all large metro areas where there are a lot of teachers employed, and where the cost of living is no doubt higher than it is anywhere in Oklahoma. Naturally, teachers working in these metro areas make more money and push the regional average up. So comparing Oklahoma's average to the regional average is a bit of a bogus endeavor from the start.

In a fair head-to-head comparison---an Oklahoma teacher versus a teacher working in a comparable venue in a surrounding state---I doubt even the $1,200 spread exists.

But assuming it does, just on the face of it, considering nothing else, would you quit your job and move to another state for another grand a year?

I doubt many people would answer that question in the affirmative. And when other considerations get factored in, nobody would.

Teachers are like everybody else. They have kids, homes and spouses. Is a teacher going to uproot the family and sell the house for the extra grand a year? What if the spouse works? Is hubby supposed to give up his job and move so wifey can make another grand a year?

Suppose a Tulsa teacher could move to Kansas City and make another grand a year. The increased cost of living would quickly eat the grand. There would be no point to making the move.

Suppose an Oklahoma teacher could make a grand more working in Arkansas. But maybe Arkansas isn't quite so generous with its pension system. Maybe said teacher would have to contribute more to his or her own retirement. There goes the grand.

Suppose an Oklahoma teacher could move to Kansas and make another grand. But maybe Kansas doesn't give free health insurance to teachers like we do in Oklahoma. There goes the grand.

In addition, Kansas' school year is 10 days longer than Oklahoma's. There is a proposal on the table to increase Oklahoma's school year by 5 days, and teachers are kicking up a fuss over that. I can't imagine any Oklahoma teacher wanting to move to Kansas.

Suppose an Oklahoma teacher could make another grand in Texas. But maybe the state and local tax burden is higher in that location. There goes the grand.

There are many, many things to consider when one contemplates moving from one state to another. One would have to be an idiot to do a simple comparison of paychecks and call it a done deal. And, most certainly, another grand a year would not be enough to prompt anybody to make the move.

But just for the sake of argument, let's assume 5,000 Oklahoma teachers decide there are greener pastures elsewhere so off they are going. Going where? Here's a newsflash for you: Other states already have teachers. And their local universities are cranking out thousands more every year. It is ridiculous to assume thousands of Oklahoma teachers could quit their jobs and bop off to another state with the snap of a finger.

But even assuming the mass exodus is possible, so what? Our local universities are cranking out thousands of new teachers every year as well. There are plenty of people willing to take a part-time job that offers full-time pay and benefits.

You know, about 10 years ago my elementary school was closed and demolished. An open house was held to allow folks one last walk through the old place. My first grade homeroom teacher was there. I was in the first grade in the early '60s. This woman had not only stayed in the state, she was still teaching at the same school over 30 years later.

I'm sure there are teachers that leave the state from time to time. There are teachers that leave the occupation from time to time. But neither of those things has much to do with a lack of compensation. Teachers have the deal of the century---and they know it.

The leaving-the-state threat is just another lie propagated by educators, politicians and the media so teachers can pocket more of your money.

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