Our students are our greatest possessions and our teachers our greatest resource. Studies show that the single most influential element in a child's education—more than buildings, textbooks, or extra-curricular activities—is the impact of an effective teacher.

We must support our teachers in every way—especially with competitive salaries—as they perform their all-important tasks. A poorly paid teacher is a demoralized teacher, not ready for the task of meeting new educational challenges each school year.

Teachers are professionals and they should be treated as such. It is criminal that some teachers must supplement their incomes with second jobs just to make ends meet. It is short-sighted that teachers must reach into their own pockets to purchase supplies for their classrooms. Some things are simply worth paying for—like quality teachers that produce successful students.

Raising teacher salaries and reducing educational costs are not mutually exclusive. Better budgetary practices that identify and eliminate waste, that put competition back into the bid process, and that reduce spending on energy, transportation, and maintenance will free up dollars for improving teacher salaries.