Teachers' union makes plea for competitive pay

The Nebraska State Education Association made its bid Friday for a piece of the projected state revenue surplus, calling for support of a bill that would set aside $200 million of the funds in trust, and using the interest to enhance teacher salaries.

The teachers' union used some powerful ammunition, pointing out specific examples of how Nebraska salaries are lower than adjoining states, and how those states are taking steps to boost salaries even higher.

In Southwest Nebraska, for example, McCook's base salary of $27,575 compares to Oberlin's $31,170,and Imperial's base salary of $26,800 compares to Holyoke, Colo.'s $31,000.

NSEA officials cited economic development as reason enough to boost teacher salaries, saying we need to pay teachers more to keep them in our state to continue training a reliable, educated and dedicated workforce.

There's no doubt that Nebraska's teachers are underpaid, especially the talented majority who are wholeheartedly committed to providing the quality education the next generation needs.

Friday's release, however, doesn't mention that most educators already receive a salary and benefit package that is much higher than the base level, and the envy of the average worker in those same communities.

Or that tenured teachers' jobs are far more secure than those in private industry -- which shed 63,000 jobs nationwide in February, the fastest drop in five years. And, the vast majority of those jobs were eliminated without complicated reduction-in-force procedures.

There's no doubt that teacher salaries need to keep up with our neighboring states, despite the fact our student test scores already rank with the best in the nation.

But there's nothing wrong with publicly-funded jobs staying in step with those in the private sector.