Alabama Republican: Low teacher wages God’s orders
A Republican State Senator from Alabama claimed this week that keeping teacher salaries low is actually an order from the Christian deity figure, imparted in ancient texts written by Jewish tribesmen thousands of years ago.
Speaking at a prayer breakfast recently, Alabama Republican state Senator Shadrack McGill praised giving pay raises to politicians, saying that it helps to prevent bribery. Then he shifted gears and went in the opposite direction with regards to teachers, arguing against a bill that would increase their salaries.
“Teachers need to make the money that they need to make,” he said, according to Alabama newspaper The Times-Journal. “There needs to be a balance there. If you double what you’re paying education, you know what’s going to happen? I’ve heard the comment many times, ‘Well, the quality of education’s going to go up.’ That’s never proven to happen, guys.
“It’s a Biblical principle. If you double a teacher’s pay scale, you’ll attract people who aren’t called to teach. To go and raise someone’s child for eight hours a day, or many people’s children for eight hours a day, requires a calling. It better be a calling in your life. I know I wouldn’t want to do it, OK?”
He continued: “And these teachers that are called to teach, regardless of the pay scale, they would teach. It’s just in them to do. It’s the ability that God give ‘em. And there are also some teachers, it wouldn’t matter how much you would pay them, they would still perform to the same capacity. “If you don’t keep that in balance, you’re going to attract people who are not called, who don’t need to be teaching our children. So, everything has a balance.”
McGill voted in favor of a 67 percent pay raise for lawmakers in 2007.
Alabama ranks 31st in the nation in average teacher salaries, although the state did see an 11 percent increase in teacher pay from 2007-2009. The state’s Republicans have adopted so-called “right to work” laws that forbid public employees from collectively bargaining for better wages and benefits.
This story by Stephen C. Webster writing for Raw Story
McGill said that by paying legislators more, they’re less susceptible to taking bribes. Yeah and we all know how that is working out at different levels, including the federal level don’t we. Will no one rid me of these assboils, they’re giving me migraines having to wrap my thoughts around how some people can be so damn stoopit. Oh and Michael, nice use of one of my favorite movie characters there 🙂
Yeah, it is working real well in Alabama right now. There are several legislators being tried in federal court being tried on corruption trial.
Hello! Thank you for calling Christian America! We are aware our forefathers fled England to escape state religion, but in true hypocritical form, we don’t give a sh**. Thanks for calling, one of our diaper wearing Dominionists will be right with you. Have a Jesus hates the poor kind of day!
I am from Alabama and believe me that is the way these idiots think.
Bill I’m beginning to think even Georgia is ahead of Alabama, and that could surprise a lot of people.
This explains why Alabama ranks 51st* among all the states in intelligence and tops the list in stupidity. Did you hear about the retarded New Yorker who moved to Alabama and raised the average IQ of both states?
*Yes, I know. But this is so stoopid I had to throw in Gingrich’s lunar state of Moontana as a fait accompli.
Yes, yes, it’s good to have a calling. But you know what else is good, too? Being able to put food on the table for your own children, or being able to pay the mortgage. And how do you do these kind of things? By receiving and paying money.
People like this give me the worse headaches.