Dewhurst: Texas teachers paid 'very fair salary'
HOUSTON —
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Texas public school teachers bring home "a very fair salary" during a debate Monday night against three big-name Republican challengers in the state's most competitive primary race.
"At the end of the day, we're paying our school teachers — when you count in cost of living — a very fair salary," Dewhurst said. "We need to have better results. We need to make sure that we're not just paying more money and we need to look at more choice for parents."
Texas consistently ranks near the bottom nationally in average teacher pay according to many groups that track classroom salaries, including teacher unions. One expert testified in the state's pivotal school finance trial last year that Texas' average teacher pay was about $47,300 in 2009-10 dollars — lower than the national average of nearly $55,000, and less than what 32 other states pay educators.
That trial ended with a state judge determining that the system Texas uses to finance public education is unconstitutional. New testimony is set to resume in Austin on Tuesday.
More at http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/texas/another-debate-in-gop-lieutenant-governors-race/nctfx/ .
[font color=green]Dewhurst, 68, is the only major statewide office holder trying to keep his current job, which he's held since 2002. He says he wants one more term before returning to the private sector.
Dewhurst obviously doesn't have a clue as to what a salary of $45K-$50K actually provides, but why should he since he is worth hundreds of millions of dollars?
Why don't we help Dewhurst return to the private sector a bit quicker since he feels that he has been cheated by his life in public service? Even though he is filthy rich by the standards of the masses in Texas, that isn't enough for the greedy so it's our responsibility to return David back to the private sector.[/font]
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