High prices threaten the future of their educational message
Inflation exacerbates the suffering of teachers in the US state of Arizona
The shortage of teachers in Arizona is beginning to affect students and the educational process.
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Teachers bear an additional burden to teach a large number of students due to their small number and the large number of classes. Archive
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In recent months, Shivani Dalal has been forced to stop eating her favorite vegetable pasta, and to take up a second job, in order to be able to secure a decent living for her.. Like many teachers in Arizona, they are among the lowest-paid groups in the United States, and they face inflation that puts their message education is at stake.
"During the summer, I only bought what was very basic," the 27-year-old English language teacher told AFP from her apartment in Phoenix, the capital of Arizona.
After paying her rent and taxes, and the monthly payment for her car, $400 remained from her salary, which she had to complete her month with, which constituted a challenge, coinciding with the largest inflation recorded in the United States in 40 years.
And the young woman gave up going to the cinema, stopped taking trips in her car, and buying ramen noodles with soy sauce, after the prices of this Japanese meal increased four times.
Since September, Dalal has received an increase in her salary of $300.
Although this amount constituted an outlet for her, it is not sufficient in light of the significant rise in commodity prices.
"After a slight decrease in fuel prices, they are now slowly rising again, and this is somewhat worrying," says the teacher.
In 2023, it is supposed to resume paying its student loan, which was frozen during the pandemic period.
In order to get additional income, Dalal conducted polls for the Democratic Party after school, which allowed her to earn an additional 250 to 300 dollars a week, before the US midterm elections, and she worked 70 hours in this field.
"Working a lot is really stressful," says the young woman, who insists on not giving up the teaching profession, and plans to move to California, where she can live with her family.
The state of Arizona is highly affected by inflation in the United States, as its capital, Phoenix, is the US city that witnessed the most increase in prices for the month of August (+13% on an annual basis).
This inflation has put great pressure on teachers, who are among the lowest paid groups in the United States.
Arizona ranks 44 out of 50 in terms of teacher salaries, with an average annual payout of $52,157, according to the National Education Association.
A blow to mental health
Karim Neel, 48, who spent 24 of those days caring for students with disabilities, was finally able to rent an apartment with a beautiful view of downtown Phoenix.
Neil, who won several rewards, the most recent of which was from the National Teachers Hall of Fame, worked for a long time as a driver and bouncer in a nightclub, outside of his teaching hours.
But six months ago, prices went up so much that he can no longer save, despite the extra income he gets from lectures he gives on education.
In order to be able to achieve his dreams of owning a home and saving for retirement, he is thinking of finding a less expensive home.
He tells Agence France-Presse that his practice of several jobs “negatively affects his mental health,” adding, “Will I one day be able to settle for one job?
Will I be able to slow down my aging process?
At the high school where he teaches, some classmates have recently quit their jobs, a big problem in Arizona, exacerbated by inflation.
And at the start of the 2022 school year, more than a quarter of teaching positions remained vacant, according to the ASPAA (Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association).
In the face of a large shortage of teachers, “several schools bring in teachers from the Philippines, India or Vietnam,” explains Paul Tighe, director of another organization that includes institution managers.
In an effort to retain teachers, many of whom quit within the first five years of their careers, Northern Arizona University launched a mentoring program this summer.
Grant
The program allows students to learn by teaching in classes under the supervision of a teacher, without paying any fees for master's degree lessons.
And they receive a grant of $ 15,000 in the first year, then they receive a salary similar to that of a professor, provided that they teach in the state for three years.
“Without this program, I probably would have had to resort to my student loan and fund my medical coverage,” says Ayesha Thomas, one of the 22 selected students, adding that this program has been a great relief to her.
In the long term, the initiative plans to train 100 new students annually, and wants to be able to offer accommodation solutions, according to its director, Victoria Tessen-Hommer.
Homer hopes that the initiative will evolve to allow educators to continue in light of the inflation they currently face.
In the face of a huge shortage of teachers, many schools recruit teachers from the Philippines, India or Vietnam.
The state of Arizona is greatly affected by inflation in the United States, as its capital, Phoenix, is the most American city that witnessed a rise in prices for the month of August.
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